


We Were There: Speirs' Story

by Zealprophet27



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-03-09 19:18:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 91,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18923389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zealprophet27/pseuds/Zealprophet27
Summary: Due to popular demand, this is the retelling of We Were There: Emmeline's Story from the perspective of Speirs.  Dedicated to 263Adder.





	1. Beautiful Stranger

**Author's Note:**

  * For [263Adder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/263Adder/gifts).



"Speirs!" a voice shouted behind me. I turned to see my commanding officer approaching me.

"Sir," I said promptly, saluting him in the process. I lowered my hand and awaited for his orders.

My Commanding Officer, Captain Jerre Gross, stood before me. "Have you heard the news, Ron?"

I furrowed my brows at him. "What news, sir?"

Gross stated, "We've got some nurses coming to our base for training."

"Nurses?" I repeated, voice laced with annoyance. The last thing that I needed on the base were a bunch of attention-seeking women to distract the men. I sighed heavily knowing that my work would be cut out for me to maintain order within the ranks.

Gross laughed. "You don't seem thrilled, Ron."

I glared at my CO. "We're training for war, sir. This is the last thing I wanted to hear." I ran a hand through my dark hair before placing my hands on my hips.

"Don't worry," Gross assured me. "Not all of them are going to stay with us."

I tilted my head at him in confusion. "Meaning what, sir?"

"This is where they're going to start their training but only one of them has been ordered to stay with the Airborne," he explained. "The others are to be shipped out to the other branches when the time comes."

"Which Company is the nurse to be placed?" I asked, fearing the answer.

"Easy Company," he stated.

I nodded, slowly exhaling. That news was music to my ears. I didn't want to have to worry about a woman in our ranks as we jumped behind enemy lines. She would be their problem, not mine.

Captain Gross took a couple of steps away from me before stopping. He glanced over his shoulder and stated, "They should be arriving in a couple of days. I'd like you to address the men before they arrive."

I nodded curtly. "Yes sir."

I watched as my CO walked away from me. I turned to head to the barracks to address the men. I was prepared to let them know that under no circumstances were they to be chasing skirts while they were to be training.

Entering the barracks, I shouted, "Attention!"

All the men in the barracks quickly lined the room, standing at attention. I started to walk down the path they had formed for me. I explained, "Listen up! I have news and I have orders." I turned to study the men's faces. "We have nurses arriving in a couple of days to train here. One of those nurses will be assigned to Easy Company."

"Lucky bastards," a man mumbled under his breath. The men in earshot had chuckled.

My eyes narrowed on the man who said it. I stood inches from his face. "Did you say something, soldier?" I asked quietly.

The man's face fell. "No, sir."  
"Under no circumstances," I shouted, still standing before the man who spoke. "Will any of you slack off in your training to chase skirts. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir!" the men shouted in unison.

"Questions?" I asked as I stepped away from the man before me.

One man raised his hand before he asked, "What about on our free time, sir?"

I turned my heated gaze to the man. "What you do on your own time is up to you; frankly I don't give a shit but when you are on the field training, you better be completely focused on that or I will send you home." I turned to look at the men one last time. "Is that understood?"

They answered in unison again, "Yes, sir!"

"Good," I said briskly. "As you were." I took my leave of their room and headed outside.

A few days later, Colonel Sink approached me. I saluted him as he stopped before me. He returned the salute before saying, "Lieutenant Speirs."

"Sir," I replied, awaiting him to continue.

"I've asked all the officers to gather by the main gate," he explained. "I wanted to give the nurses a warm welcome on their arrival." I gritted my teeth. This was not what I wanted to deal with today. Sink must have seen the look on my face as he added, "I want them to know who the officers are so that they feel comfortable coming to any of you in case they need assistance during training."

I nodded quickly. I understood what he meant without him having to spell it out for me. He feared that the nurses might have a bit of a struggle the first few days while they adjusted to military life. I also knew that he meant the adjustment was also intended for the men. As officers, we had to set the expectation on what was appropriate behavior towards these women for the men to follow our example.

"What time are we to gather, sir?" I asked.

Sink checked his watch. "They should be arriving in the next ten minutes or so," he stated. "Better get to the gates now. I'm making my rounds to make sure that all officers are present."

"Yes sir," I replied, saluting once more before leaving to fulfill my orders.

As I meandered across the yard, I could spy several officers already waiting at the gates. Almost all of them seemed eager to meet the women who were to be training with us. I wanted to shake my head. These women would be a distraction - an unnecessary one at that.

I joined the group but leaned against the building near the back, arms crossed. I did not want to be here. I had other things to do. I turned my head to my left and spied Herbert Sobel, sporting his scowl of disapproval. At least he was right about something for once.

A voice spoke off to me right, "You might want to smile a little, Ron." I turned to see Lewis Nixon and Dick Winters approaching me. Nixon added, "You might scare them off before they step off the bus."

I didn't smile. "Maybe that's the point of this gathering."

"Oh, come on!" Nixon laughed. "You can't say that you're not even a little bit curious!"

I shook my head slightly. "Not in the slightest," I admitted. "They shouldn't even be here." Winters nodded slowly, clearly agreeing with me.

Winters added, "War is not a proper place for a woman."

Nixon chuckled. "Between the two of you," he began. "This moment of hospitality is going to leave a bad impression."

"Let's hope so," I mumbled as I turned to watch the bus drive down the long dirt road towards us, plumes of dust clouds trailing behind.

Sink had reappeared in the front of the group. Suddenly, all the officers were standing at attention. I remained where I was. The olive colored bus slowed down and parked before the gates. The doors opened and the women on the inside began to make their exit.

With their duffels in their hands, they stepped off the steps one at a time into a cloud of dust kicked up by the bus. I observed each woman as she took a step off the bus and stopped in front of Colonel Sink.

The first woman to step off the bus carried herself with a grace and wisdom beyond her years. Her dark brown hair was neatly bound in a bun behind her head. She seemed confident, which I wasn't expecting to see. She scanned the group of officers, seemingly meeting the gaze of each one. She didn't seem intimidated at all.

The next woman who stepped off behind the first seemed incredibly young. She looked like a child compared to the first. I realized simply by looking at her that she had lied about her age. I questioned why they allowed her to even participate in this when it was obvious that she didn't belong here. I could feel my frustrations rising that we were taking children - female children at that - and bringing them along to the war. It didn't seem right to me. She stood slightly behind the first woman, a bit intimidated by the men before her. The first woman had held her hand, whispering in her ear - most likely words of encouragement - as she brushed the young woman's braid over her shoulder.

Another woman stepped off the bus and there were a few catcalls from the ranks. I shook my head, glancing down the line to see which officers had the audacity to do such a thing - especially in the presence of Colonel Sink. There was no denying that this woman was beautiful. She had long elegant blonde hair, tied neatly into a ponytail. Much like the first, she exuded confidence and grace. I knew that she would be trouble within the ranks. The men would be all over her. That fact was made apparent by the officers' reaction. She stood next to the others, smiling at the men. She seemed like quite the flirt.

The next woman who stepped off the bus was another seemingly confident woman who carried herself well. She stood next to the group of women as she waited for the last to emerge. She didn't seem fazed by the mass of men before her. It became obvious to me that crowds didn't bother her. I wondered what she did before the war to be so comfortable in front of so many strangers.

The last woman to step off of the bus seemed stunned to see so many men standing at attention for their arrival. I could see her cheeks flushing red from embarrassment, even from my place in the back. I studied her; something was different about her. She didn't seem as confident as some of the others. Her light brown hair was bound into a ponytail but there were a few loose strands that seemed unwilling to stay bound.

I watched as she stood behind the other women in the group, shying away from attentive eyes. I could see her biting her lower lip as she seemed desperate to disappear from sight. She whispered something to the first woman who nodded, acknowledging her discomfort.

Colonel Sink stepped forward to address them. "Welcome nurses to Camp Toccoa!" He turned to motion to all of the officers. "We are here to help you at any time," he informed them. "Do not hesitate to approach any one of these officers should you have the need."

After his speech, Colonel Sink dismissed everyone. I remained in my place, watching the women as they were greeted by the officers. Sobel had stormed off to follow Sink, mostly likely to complain that these women were even on the base. I knew it was a futile attempt but I struggled to disagree with his opinions on the matter.

Most of the women seemed to be enjoying the niceties the officers were showing them; all but one. She began slinking away from the horde of officers. I found my eyes glued to her as she stepped away from the group. I studied her as she began to make her way into the base. She didn't behave like the others and that to me, made her a complete mystery to me.

The first woman who stepped off the bus had excused herself and caught up to the fleeting woman. She stopped her and exchanged words before following her to their barracks.

My eyes glanced back to the group who remained with the officers. They seemed happy to socialize with them. I turned my attention back to the other two. I found myself intrigued by what had just taken place. Almost every woman that I had met seemed inclined to center themselves into the heart of attention - all but this one.

I pushed myself away from the building, uncrossing my arms in the process as I began to make my way back to my own room. I found that I couldn't stop thinking about the way the introductions had taken place with the nurses. I couldn't stop thinking about how she behaved.

The next morning was Sunday. Sundays were the men's day off to do what they pleased. I wasn't exactly looking forward to this day. The men on the base had learned that the nurses had arrived and I knew they'd most likely be trying to seek them out.

I certainly didn't care what they did on their day off but I also knew that most of these men wouldn't carry themselves with the proper decorum needed for a soldier. Despite having women on the base, they were expected to behave appropriately. Seeing how the officers behaved the day before, I had my doubts about the rest of the men.

Reluctantly, I gathered myself for the day and left my barracks. The bright sun shone in my face causing me to squint as I walked down the path. As I trudged down the walkway, I crossed paths with Colonel Sink and Captain Gross. I saluted both of them.

"Lieutenant," Sink said, saluting back. Before I could continue on my way, he stopped me. "Do you have a moment?"

I turned to face him. "Sir?"

"I hate to put you in this position," Sink started. "But it would appear that a lot of the men are in the infirmary trying to converse with the nurses." He took a drag from his cigar. "Would you go in there and remind them that the nurses also have a job to do?"

I gritted my teeth, slowly inhaling. "Of course."

"That'll be all, son," Sink replied, saluting briefly as he turned his back to me, walking away from me with my CO. I stood there watching them walk away.

Irritated that my fears on the men's interactions were proving to be accurate, I redirected my course towards the infirmary. I didn't volunteer to become a babysitter for these women - I volunteered to serve my country.

The closer that I got to the infirmary, the angrier I seemed to become. Today was not a good day for the men to test my patience. I rounded the corner to see some men leaving the infirmary. Their eyes met mine and they wisely fled the area.

I entered the infirmary and scanned the room. In the center of the room had been four of the five women surrounded by the men. I narrowed my eyes at the men as I noticed the majority of them were from Dog Company. I clenched my jaw as I marched towards them. I had just given them the lecture on this matter before the nurses arrived. I felt as though they were already disobeying my orders and I wasn't going to tolerate that.

As I neared them, the men's gazes lifted to see the stern look on my face. They quickly stood at attention without my prompting. I narrowed my eyes at them. I could tell that I made them nervous and played it up. "Is there a reason you are wasting the nurses' time?" I asked, anger lacing my words.

The men glanced at one another. One of them spoke up, "It's our day off, sir."

I turned my gaze onto him. I didn't blink at him. "Unless you have an appropriate need to be in the infirmary," I began. "I suggest you clear out and let them do their jobs."

"Or what?" the mouthy Sergeant pushed. "It's our day off. You said yourself that we were allowed to do what we wanted on our day off!"

I never took my eyes off the man. I could see out of my peripheral vision the nurses shifting uncomfortably in their places. "Unless you need to be in the infirmary, you have no reason to be here," I repeated myself sternly. "Now, remove yourself from the facility before I give you a just cause for being here."

The Sergeant glared at me, standing up to his full height. I knew he was challenging me but I refused to partake in his game. I stood my ground, holding my heated gaze with his. It didn't take him long before he backed down and left with the others. I watched over my left shoulder as I made sure they had left the infirmary.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," one of the nurses said, bringing my attention back around to her. I recognized her as the woman who first stepped off the bus. I nodded in response. She extended her hand. "I'm Darla. Darla Sanderson."

"Nurse Sanderson," I said plainly. I didn't bother to shake her hand.

Darla lowered her hand, clearly taking the hint and motioned to the others as she continued, "That's Charlotte, Sarah, Anne, and..." The women waved or nodded to me as Darla said their names. I nodded curtly again, not caring what their names were. I didn't want to become too familiar with them. I held firm in my belief that they shouldn't be on the base to begin with. The less I knew about them the better.

Darla sighed heavily as she turned to the others. "Where'd Emmeline go?"

I glanced at the women in the infirmary. They shrugged at the question, turning to focus on their work and not on my presence, which became obvious that I made them nervous.

Darla cleared her throat, turning back to me. "I'm sorry," she said, offering a small smile. "Our friend, Emmeline must have snuck out when you came in to give the men what for. She's never been fond of confrontation."

I blinked at her. "Try to keep the men from loitering in your facility. If they do not need to be in here, kick them out." Darla nodded and I turned to head out.

Stepping outside the infirmary, I turned the corner to leave. Movement to my right caught my attention. I glanced over to see the nurse that seemed uncomfortable when she stepped off the bus. I stopped in my tracks as I spotted her.

Her dark eyes glanced up to meet mine. The moment our eyes locked, hers widened, clearly startled to see me standing there before her. She shifted in her spot, averting her gaze to her boots. I noticed her biting her lip briefly. "Sir," she said in barely a whisper.

I studied her for a moment longer. When I didn't answer, her eyes lifted to meet mine again. I held her gaze as I stated, "The men are gone. You're safe to return to work." Without waiting for her response, I nodded once and turned to walk away from her.

I mulled over her behaviors since she stepped off the bus. She truly was completely different from those inside the infirmary and other women I had met before. She seemed guarded and on edge. She was hiding something, that much was obvious.

I shook the thoughts that focused on her from my head. I didn't care about her past. I didn't want to know about her past. She wasn't my problem - she was Easy Company's problem.

As the months rolled by, the men had gotten into a normal routine of having the nurses on the base. Since the incident in the infirmary, the men in the Division had steered clear of them unless they had just cause for entering that building.

That didn't stop them from approaching the nurses when their duties for the day were finished. There had been little that I or any of the other officers could do to prevent that from happening.

The Division had been informed that Nurse Emmeline Banks would be assigned to Easy Company. Sobel had informed her that she would be expected to keep up with them throughout training. She struggled to keep up in the beginning but she never gave up. I found myself intrigued by her persistence to continue being a part of this - almost as though her life depended on succeeding. I had figured that she would have quit and gone back home a long time ago but she had been proving me wrong.

The men of Easy Company had come to terms with having her amongst them. They seemed to treat her with the respect that I expected and they looked after her - and not just Miss Banks, but all of the nurses.

One of the men in particular to take a strong interest in Miss Banks had been Private Webster. He seemed to go out of his way to converse with her, make her feel comfortable, and get her involved in the goings-on within the ranks.

In the beginning, she didn't seem willing to speak with him and often times shied away from him. His persistence paid off as she eventually began speaking to him more and more as time went by. There was no mistaking the look behind his eyes however; he was smitten with her. I couldn't tell how she felt about him as she kept her feelings well hidden.


	2. Running Through The Storm

A few days later, Dog Company had returned from a twelve-mile march in full gear. Captain Gross ordered the men to clean up and grab a bite to eat. The men disbanded to follow those orders willingly.

I turned to head towards my barracks when something caught my attention. Easy Company had been standing at attention in full gear. I scanned the immediate area. Sobel was nowhere to be seen. I shook my head as I continued on my way to my barracks to change.

I spent the next twenty minutes cleaning up from my march. When I emerged from my barracks, I could see Sobel berating his men as he was known to do. I knew that Sobel was the kind of man that wanted to have the best outfit in the Division. He pushed his men harder than any other Company. His men resented him for it and I couldn't help but understand their hatred for the man, all the while understanding what he was trying to accomplish. I heard Sobel order the men to change into the PT gear for a run-up Currahee.

"Hey, Em!" I heard Darla's voice call out.

My eyes glanced over to my left to see Emmeline turning to address Darla. She shifted uncomfortably in her place. Movement on my right had grabbed my attention as I watched Sobel making a beeline straight for the two of them, a typical scowl on his face. I cringed as the realization hit me; she wasn't with the rest of the men for inspection. Sobel wouldn't take it easy on her for this.

"Nurse Banks!" Sobel shouted at her.

Darla took a couple of steps backward to avoid Sobel's heated gaze. Emmeline's eyes were wide with fear as she said, "Yes sir?"

Sobel stood in front of her. "Why were you not with the men this afternoon?"

Emmeline blinked at him. "I was in the med station, sir."

"Why were you there?" Sobel asked, stepping even closer to her.

I didn't understand his need to intimidate her. She was already intimidated by the majority of the people on the base. I felt like he got pleasure in her discomfort. There was a part of me that wanted to put an end to his antics, but this didn't concern me.

I could see Miss Banks answer, but she spoke so softly that I couldn't make out her words.  
Sobel practically towered over her as he stated, "That's no excuse, Nurse Banks. Change into your PT gear. We're running Currahee."

Emmeline took one step forward before Darla got involved. I rolled my eyes as Darla and Sobel exchanged words. Sobel turned his heated gaze back to Emmeline. "Why are you still here?" he spat at her. Emmeline took off and never looked back.

Sobel continued to lecture Darla for interfering with his command. Darla stood her ground. I admired her tenaciousness. Sobel leaned closer to Darla, quietly threatening her, I'm sure, before storming away from her.

Darla rolled her blue eyes before she started to walk towards the mess hall. Distant thunder rumbled, causing me to glance up at the sky. Dark clouds were rolling in. I could tell that a massive storm would be upon the base soon and it would make the run-up Currahee even more difficult.

Reminding myself that it didn't involve me, I entered the mess hall, eager to eat. I didn't care what it was. Food was food as far as I was concerned. I grabbed a tray of food and sat down in the first empty place at the table and began eating.

"I can't believe they're making her run up that hill!" one of the nurses admitted quietly.

"What worries me the most is how she hasn't eaten a thing since last night," Darla's voice quipped.

Upon hearing her statement, I stopped chewing for a moment. If that was true, I worried about Miss Banks' health. I sighed, reminding myself that it didn't concern me and resumed eating.

"Do you think they'll still run with that nasty storm coming?" another woman asked.

Thunder cracked overhead followed by the downpour of rain. The nurses' voices became hushed as they continued to discuss the severity of the storm and their clear concern for their friend who was forced to be out in it.

I finished my food, stood up from the table to deposit the dishes in the cleaning tub. As I turned around to leave, I could see the nurses eyeing me. I didn't look at them as I stepped outside into the torrential downpour.

As I headed to my barracks, I stopped in the rain and glanced up at the hill. I could barely make out some of Easy Company's men running up the trail. They were struggling in the muck and mire.

My eyes landed on a figure at the trailhead. It was Sobel, standing under an umbrella as he watched their struggle. I scoffed, knowing that he was deriving a lot of pleasure from this.

The rain poured harder to the earth, soaking me to the bone. I headed to my barracks to change and ride out the storm. Along the way, I was stopped by Strayer.

"Lieutenant," he began.

Saluting, I replied, "Sir."

"Have you heard the news?" he asked.

"What news is that, sir?" I questioned.

Strayer glanced around us before saying, "We're throwing Colonel Sink a surprise birthday party for the men to attend. Make sure that things are in order for the event."

"Yes, sir," I replied, nodding my understanding.

"I've already informed the other officers," Strayer told me. "Everything should be well taken care of, but make sure that things are ready for this evening."

I nodded, saluting once more as he took his leave of me. I sighed. This was just another situation that I didn't want to be involved in. I sought out some of the other officers to see what preparations were needed if any.

It didn't take long to track down Captain Gross. He had informed me that there was little left to handle. Most of the Division had been planning this for weeks. Strayer's part was to inform the men that it was tonight. I did my part in helping spread the news as I crossed paths with the men, but I didn't willingly go out of my way to do so.

After checking in with the other officers, I headed to my barracks to change into clean clothes. It didn't take me long to do so and once I had changed, the rain had stopped.

The evening light had begun to fall upon the base. I stepped out of my barracks into the chilly air. Taking a deep breath, I could smell the rain, the mud, and the wet grass; it reminded me of home.

I began to make my rounds when I spotted men from Easy Company, soaked to the bone in rain and mud. I turned the corner as Webster walked away. He had been speaking with Nurse Banks. She stood there watching as he rounded the corner.

The moment he turned the corner, she took a step to turn around and crashed into me. The collision with me had caused her to stumble over her feet. Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed her arms to stabilize her. "Miss Banks," I said.

Her eyes grew wide as she looked up at me. "Lieutenant Speirs...sir."

My eyes examined her appearance. She was soaked to the core and completely covered in mud from head to toe. The mud had started to create a crust on her skin. I gazed into her dark brown eyes. "Miss Banks, why are you covered in mud?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Her lips parted as she struggled to collect her thoughts. She stammered, "I-I fell."

"Fell?" I repeated her choice of words.

"Yes, sir," she said, voice barely a whisper. "During the run-up Currahee."

Without breaking eye contact with her, I released my hold of her. "I see," I began. "Well, you better get cleaned up. We don't want you to catch a cold, do we?"

She shook her head, whispering, "No, sir."

I nodded curtly. Movement on the right of us caught my attention. Standing in the shadows, waiting for our conversation to be over was Darla. I nodded once more, turning my attention back to Miss Banks. "Get going then, Nurse. See you later this evening, I suspect."

I turned and walked away from her. As I walked through the base, informing the men of the party, I thought back on the interaction with Nurse Banks. That was the longest conversation that we had had yet. Like the other nurses, she seemed nervous in my presence.

The more I thought over my interactions with the nurses since their arrival, I could understand their reservations towards me. I didn't go out of my way to converse with them, but I certainly didn't ignore them when I saw them - not that I was going out of my way to be overly friendly with them either.

I watched as the men began assembling in the mess hall for the surprise party for Sink. I chose not to attend but continued to make the rounds on the base. From what I had been told recently, Colonel Sink wouldn't be able to attend his own party anyway, so in my mind, there'd be no reason to go myself - even for appearance's sake.

I spied the nurses entering the mess hall, arms linked with their dates for the evening. I didn't see Nurse Sanderson nor Nurse Banks among them. I took a few more steps before I watched the missing two walking arm in arm towards the mess hall. I halted in my place the moment my eyes landed on them.

Nurse Banks had cleaned up nicely since my last interaction with her. She was no longer covered in mud and she had dressed up which was the first time I had seen her in such a way. I sighed, turning back to my rounds around the base. I was thankful for the cooler air. It would help me clear my mind.

An hour later, I found myself approaching the mess hall tent. The party was still going on and didn't sound like it would be ending any time soon. I walked by, thankful that my barracks were far enough away so I didn't have to listen to it all night long.

Rounding the corner towards the barracks, I could see a familiar frame near the edge of the camp. I stopped in my tracks. The longer I watched, the more apparent it became that she was crying. I made my way over to her.

"Nurse Banks?" I asked, careful to not startle her.

She quickly stood up straight, fixing her appearance before turning around. "Yes?" she asked, voice quivering.

I took a couple more steps towards her. "Are you all right?"

She wiped the tears from her face. The moment I stepped into the light, her breath hitched. I stopped a short distance from her as she answered, "Yes, I am. Thank you, Lieutenant Speirs."

I studied her face, almost looking for hidden answers to the questions that I had yet to ask. Her dark eyes held a sadness that I hadn't noticed before. I held her stare. "Why are you crying?" I asked, concern behind my voice.

She seemed almost stunned by my concern and the question. She replied, "It's nothing, sir."

My eyebrows twitched at her remark. I asked, "Did someone behave inappropriately this evening?" A part of me feared the answer. If she told me that someone had behaved inappropriately towards her, I'd be seeking them out to give them what for.

She took a step backward from me. "I'm fine. Really. It's nothing."

I took a step forward, then another when she took a second step backward. I exhaled sharply as I held her gaze. "Nurse Banks," I began. "I don't tolerate lying. It would be best for you to step forward and tell me the truth."

I started to wonder who she was protecting. It became almost known to the officers that Miss Banks always tried to do the right thing, often times forgetting her own sanity and safety. I worried that this would be one of those times.

I could see that familiar wave of fear wash over her face. She sighed, licking her lips before admitting quietly, "I just found out that I'm a third wheel."

I furrowed my brows at her choice of words. "Third wheel, Nurse Banks?"

She bit her lip before saying, "Yes, sir."

My eyes lowered to her lips. She was still biting it. I noticed over the course of her presence on the base that she did that when she was afraid or uncomfortable. I couldn't tell if she was feeling this way because of me or for what she was hiding from me.

"Explain," I ordered.

She hesitated, but eventually said, "I'm not like the other nurses. I didn't think that I was so different, but the men pointed it out to me tonight." She paused to chew on her lip again before adding, "I wasn't even supposed to be at that party-"

I blinked at the comment. "Why did you go?"

She stared at me, clearly unsure what to say. She muttered, "I was invited-"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "You just said that you weren't supposed to be there."

She seemed flustered as she struggled to regain her thoughts. "Even if I wasn't invited," she started to say. "I would have been dragged there by Darla."

The mention of her friend had me nodding in understanding. "Yes, Darla Sanderson," I recalled. "She does have a way of getting her way." I broke the intense eye contact with her for a moment. I could see out of the corner of my eye that she relaxed a bit, but she immediately stared at her shoes.

After a short moment of silence, I added, "Well, we better get you back inside before you catch your death."

She blinked up at me, clearly unsure of what to say. She walked next to me, chewing on her bottom lip as we walked in silence. I escorted her back to her barracks instead of the party, for which she seemed grateful. I took a step away from her to leave but stopped. There was something weighing on my mind and I had to say it before it was too late.

"You know," I started, turning to face her. She looked at me as I continued, "You are different from the others."

She lowered her gaze, almost ashamed as she whispered, "I know."

I studied her for a moment before saying, "You're a mystery to me, Miss Banks."

Confusion washed over her face as she lifted her dark eyes to meet mine. "Sir?"

I nodded quickly. "Good night, Nurse Banks." I turned from her and walked away from her. I could feel her eyes on me as I left her standing at her door.

What I had said to her was the absolute truth of the matter: she was a mystery to me. The more that I interacted with her, the more she confused me. She left me guessing what was going on in her mind.

I thought over her explanation to me as for the reason that she was standing in the middle of the night crying her eyes out. 'Third wheel' seemed like an odd thing for someone like her to say. She couldn't even give me a proper explanation behind those words, which told me that those weren't her words. It had to be one of the men's.

Seeing the tears behind her eyes pained me more than I thought they would. After watching her from a distance all these long months, I had come to find myself almost protective of her, even though I had been willing myself to stay away from her. I didn't want that distraction, especially when the time came to jump into enemy territory. I still believed that I needed to remain at arm's length with her.

I sighed as I entered my barracks. I scolded myself as I changed for bed. Tomorrow, I would make sure that the men would understand the importance of focusing on the task at hand. I needed to immerse myself in the training of the men. We had a war to fight; plain and simple. I had to keep myself busy with my own job and keep my mind from thinking about her. There would be time to solve that puzzle, but not now.

Early the next morning, I had gathered myself and had already eaten breakfast. The men were due to eat before training commenced. I had slept poorly as my mind raced with questions regarding Nurse Banks. Clenching my teeth, I reminded myself that I had a job to do and it wasn't to guard the timid nurse - she'd have to learn to stand up for herself if she were to survive the war.

As I sat there finishing up my breakfast, Sobel had come in and grabbed a tray of food. He sat next to Strayer a table away from me.

"What's your plan for today, Herb?" Strayer asked.

Sobel paused mid-bite to explain, "I've decided to give the men a day of light duty to recover from the festivities last night."

Strayer chuckled. "I know you," he stated. "That's something you'd never do. What are you up to?"

Sobel lowered his spoon once more. "Nothing, sir. Just a lesson in awareness," he replied. Strayer smirked again, clearly amused by Sobel's antics. For some reason, I found myself annoyed. Sobel added, "I've already informed Lieutenant Winters that I want a special meal prepared for the men this afternoon."

"What's on the menu, then?" Strayer asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

Sobel lifted his spoon again. "I'm fond of spaghetti."

Strayer cringed. "You're ruthless, Herbert." Strayer stood up and picked up his tray. "Good luck, then."

Sobel nodded and turned back to his breakfast. Strayer dumped his tray in the cleaning tub and walked out.

Shaking my head, I stood up and did the same. When I turned around, I made sure to avoid Sobel's gaze as I walked by him. I refused to acknowledge him.

Stepping outside, I spied the men from Dog Company beginning to make their way towards the mess tent. I headed to the training field to begin setting up their day of activities. As I walked by the men, I overheard some of the men having a conversation.

"Did you see how nicely she cleans up?" one of the men asked.

"It's a shame she left the party so soon last night," another man confessed.

A short laugh came as a third man stated, "Next time, I'll be sure to escort her back to her room."

The men shared a laugh at the remark and the hidden meaning behind it. It took every fiber of my being to keep from turning around to see who had said the comment. Basing on the man's voice, I suspected that it was the same Sergeant that I had confronted weeks ago. I realized that he would become a problem for me.

Instead of making a scene, I turned my focus back onto training. The men would hate me for their hard day of training, but I didn't care. I also needed a distraction.

It wasn't much longer before the men had assembled in the field for their training exercises. Along with Captain Gross, I led the men through their calisthenics. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Sobel marching towards the nurses' barracks. I forced myself to turn away and focus on the training.

In between yelling at the men to switch exercises and counting out loud how many they were doing, I paced the front of the line. The men were on their thirtieth jumping jack when several of the men began smiling like a Cheshire cat and some had brazenly started catcalling.

I turned to look and spotted Emmeline standing before the men. I furrowed my brow as I started towards her. She seemed dazed like she hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings.

Just as I neared her to reprimand her for disrupting the men's training, she turned, smacking into me. She gasped, clearly startled by my sudden presence. "I'm sorry, sir!" she began. "I was in my own thoughts."

I could see it written on her face that something had happened between her and Sobel. I fought every fiber of my being to keep from reaching out to touch her - to comfort her. I kept my hands clasped tightly behind my back, digging my nails into my wrist as I fought back that urge. I didn't smile at her or even acknowledged that she had spoken to me. I kept my face void of emotion.

When I noticed that she seemed to be waiting on me to reply, I simply stepped aside, motioning with my right arm for her to take her leave of the training field. She furrowed her brow at me before rushing away from the field.

I continued pacing the line as the men continued their jumping jacks. I overheard a voice within the line speak, "I could look at her all day!"

"I'm planning on getting my hands on her someday soon," another man replied.

I glared at the men. "We're doing a ten-mile run! Move out!" I barked. The men's eyes widened at my sudden order, but instead of arguing with me, they turned to run our normal route.

Captain Gross jogged up to me. "Ten miles, Ron? That seems excessive."

I turned my attention over to my CO, face still holding the scowl that had formed. "They need the run," I replied simply.

Gross shrugged the explanation aside. "I have a meeting with Colonel Sink. Do you think you can manage the run on your own?"

I nodded. Before I took off to catch up with the men, Gross smacked me on the back and walked away from me. I headed out to catch up, knowing that I needed this run just as much as the men needed the punishment for speaking during training.

I pushed the men hard during that ten-mile run. I didn't allow them the chance to slack off. I made sure that they understood why they were here, to begin with. When we returned from the run, I ordered the men to clean up.

As the men went their separate ways, I made my way towards my barracks. I halted in my tracks when I saw Easy Company returning from their own run-up Currahee. All the men were covered in vomit. When my eyes landed on Nurse Banks, I could see that she had been one of the lucky ones to avoid Sobel's planned torture as her PT gear was void of stains. She didn't see me as she turned to head back to her barracks, but I watched her for a moment before forcing myself to head out.


	3. One Late Night

The next several days were spent training the men in the Division to learn how to jump. All day, every day for several days, the men spent their time hooked up to platforms that were built to teach them the basics of jumping from planes. Some of the men had picked up the mechanics of these drills faster than others.

We sat in on lectures after the physical training had ended for the day, learning more on why it was so important to have proper control and form when jumping. The men were also instructed on why timing also played an important role when jumping from the plane.

During the lectures, I had spotted several men falling asleep. I'd kick their chairs, waking them. Once the lectures were over, those men were sent on a three-mile march for having disrupted their lessons - lessons that were meant to keep them as well as those around them alive.

As the days of lectures faded away, we were sent up in planes to practice for the real deal. The jump instructor informed us that if anyone were to refuse at the door, hesitate, or show that they hadn't listened during the lectures, they would be packing their bags and heading home.

I studied the faces of my men as we sat in the planes, waiting for the orders to hook up. Some of them seemed incredibly nervous, while others seemed cocky.

It wasn't long before we were ordered to stand up and hook up. We followed the protocol as we neared the jump zone for our training. Once the green light flipped on, the men began throwing themselves out the door. I brought up the rear and jumped out the door.

The moment the chute opened, my body jerked back upwards into the sky. I could see the clear blue skies mottled with green parachutes. It certainly was a sight to behold.

With each jump that came after that initial one, my nerves had vanished. I now knew how to do what I had come here to do. I refused to allow myself to feel those nerves again. Each jump after that, I exhibited that courage they were looking for in a paratrooper. I felt like this was what I was meant to do with my life.

That evening, once everyone had returned to the base after their jumps to earn their wings, I spotted Nurse Banks heading to her barracks. I wanted to know if she had braved the jumps to earn her wings or not. She had surprised me so far within the training and I didn't think that she would have failed at this. There had seemed to be almost a need to survive here for her - that determination to succeed so she could leave the States behind her - like she was running away. I decided to brave the question despite my better judgment.

I approached her. "How did your jumps go, Nurse Banks?"

She whirled around, seemingly startled by my sudden presence. I could tell that she had no idea that it was me. "They went well...um, sir?"

I kept walking towards her until I was no longer hidden from the night. She seemed almost at ease knowing that it was me that had approached her, while still showcasing her nerves around me. I simply said, "That's good to hear."

She bit her lip before asking, "How did your jumps go?"

I gave her a small smile, forcing it to go away just as quickly as it had appeared. "They went well, thank you."

Before our conversation could continue, I heard a familiar angry shout come from behind us. "Nurse Banks!"

Emmeline glanced over my shoulder. "Yes, sir?"

I stepped aside to watch as Sobel stomped up to us. He ignored me completely, stopping just inches from Emmeline. I watched his body language as he stated, "I've been searching for you everywhere!"

I could see her tensing, almost bracing for him to reach out and grab her. "You have, sir?" she asked, voice laced with concern. I furrowed my brow at her reaction. When I glanced back over to Sobel, he didn't seem to show any signs of backing away from her.

"I need you to join me in my office," he ordered. I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously. Something wasn't right about this ordeal. The hour was late and there'd be no one in the office to witness any inappropriate behaviors on his part. He was taking advantage of her shy, do-good personality and he knew it.

"Now, sir?" she asked, clearly as confused and uncomfortable with the notion as I had been. It was clear to me that she knew this was a setup, but she wouldn't say no - she was always doing the right thing - and in this regard, her superior was ordering her to his office in the evening hours. She couldn't say no.

"Yes, Nurse Banks," Sobel replied. "We have some unfinished business to take care of."

I watched her shudder in fear the moment he said that to her. I had finally had enough and stepped forward, knowing that I had to rescue her before it was too late. "I'm sorry that I did not inform you earlier, Captain Sobel, but I have recruited Nurse Banks for a task already. Perhaps you can finish your business with her in the morning?"

I could see Emmeline's eyes widening at me but wisely stayed quiet. I could see her inching her way closer to me, almost as though I were a barrier between the two of them.

Sobel's face seemed stunned as he glared at me. "You have? What task, may I ask?"

His question seemed more like he believed me to be bluffing - and I was, but I wasn't about to fold and watch Miss Banks suffer at his hands with whatever harebrained idea that had popped into his head. I didn't hesitate to reply, "I have requested her help with an important task, Captain. Why should there be any doubt in that order?"

I knew that I was treading into dangerous territory. He still outranked me. At this moment, it came down to how much he feared me versus how much he was willing to place his power behind his rank.

Sobel folded. He backed a couple of steps away from Nurse Banks, nodding slightly. "Very well," he said, turning back to her. "Report to me in the morning, Nurse Banks."

"Yes sir," she replied quietly, eyes glued to him as he stormed away from us.

I turned to her, watching her relax now that Sobel was gone. I asked, "Care to explain, Nurse Banks?"

"Sir?" she asked, unsure what I was looking for.

I stared at her. "Care to explain?" I repeated myself, showing a little more force behind my words.

She bit her lip again. "Explain what?"

My eyes drifted down to her lip. I stated, "I've noticed that you do that often."

She looked at me confused, releasing her lip from her hold. "Do what, sir?"

I tilted my head at her. "Whenever you get nervous or uncomfortable, you bite your lip," I pointed out. "If you did that in front of the wrong man, you might be setting yourself up for trouble."

She released a short sigh. "Is that what's going on?"

"Going on with whom?" I asked, hoping to trap her with my question as she seemed distracted.

"With Sobel..." her voice faded out as she realized that she had fallen into my trap, just as I had hoped she would. Realization washed over her face the moment she uttered those words.

I stepped in front of her, closing the distance between us. I whispered gruffly as I held her gaze, "I want to know what's going on, Nurse Banks. The truth. Now." She swallowed nervously. She tried to back away from me, but I refused to let her escape. I grabbed her arms, holding her still. I whispered gentler, "The truth, Miss Banks."

Her chest began to rise and fall in quick succession. I could feel her trembling under my grip. "I'm not sure, sir," she admitted quietly.

I loosened my grip on her arms, trying to lessen the fear she showed. "Why did he want to speak with you at this hour?" I questioned her. I suspected the answer already, but I needed her to say those words. The only way that I could help her was if she spoke up to protect herself.

She shook her head. "I don't know..."

"I think you do," I whispered back to her, voice pleading for her to help herself. I watched as tears fell down her cheeks. I released my hold on her completely. I studied her face before lifting my eyes to scan the area around us. We were still alone. I turned my gaze back to hers. I took a small step backward from her. "Go back to your barracks and get cleaned up. There's a celebration party for earning your wings soon. I expect you to be there."

With that, I turned and walked away from her. As I walked away, I found myself frustrated by her. I tried to help her - I tried to help her help herself, but she refused to do it. I couldn't help her with Sobel unless she stood up and said that he was behaving inappropriately. Until then, she'd have to deal with the consequences of that decision. There would be little that I could do to save her.

I took my time getting myself cleaned up for the celebration. I couldn't get that interaction between Nurse Banks and Sobel out of my head. The more that I dwelled on it, the more concerned for her well-being I had become. No matter how much I had tried to convince myself that there wasn't anything else within my powers to do for her, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Once I finished getting myself ready for the party, I headed out of my barracks, taking the long way to the party. I wasn't feeling up for celebrating, but everyone needed to make an appearance. Colonel Sink wanted to make a speech to the men and expected everyone to hear it. I found myself unable to care.

I watched as Colonel Sink, followed closely by some of the other officers leave the party. I glanced down at my watch. The party had been going on for some time now. I realized that I missed the speech entirely.

I forced myself to enter the tent. The men and the nurses were inside, celebrating their success in becoming paratroopers. The men were laughing and drinking, some dancing with the nurses. My eyes froze on Miss Banks as she danced with Private Webster.

He pulled her closer to him, whispering in her ears. She wore a smile - a truly happy smile - one that I hadn't seen on her face in quite some time. She seemed calm, relaxed, and happy. I gritted my teeth, turning and leaving the party.

I stormed away from the party. I couldn't stand there a moment longer. I refused to force myself to watch that scene unfold. I began to walk around the base, trying to purge my mind of the images of Webster's hand on the small of her back, the closeness of his mouth to her ear. That smile...

I found myself back in my barracks cleaning my sidearm over and over again. Eventually, I headed outside with my sidearm to walk the base. I needed fresh air. I needed a distraction.

My distraction had been interrupted as I heard a familiar voice shouting, "Let go! Get off of me!"

My heart stopped and I broke into a sprint towards the sound of that scream. I rounded the corner and spotted a man struggling with one of the nurses. I saw red when I noticed that the nurse was Emmeline. My blood boiled when I spotted the man who was holding her against her will.

I shouted, "Sergeant Jefferson! Stand at attention!" I glared at the man as he turned to face me. He still had his grip on Emmeline's waist, forcing her back against his chest.

"I gave you an order, Sergeant!" I snapped at him again.

Jefferson released his grip on Emmeline to stand at attention. I could see Emmeline slowly inching her way towards me.

"You have a patrol to go on, Sergeant. I suggest you head to your barracks and prepare for it."

Jefferson sneered at me, clearly drunk. "I'm not fit for a patrol, sir."

I took a step forward, daring him to challenge me. "I wasn't giving you an option, Sergeant. Fall out. Now."

Through gritted teeth, Jefferson glared at me again. "I refuse to go on patrol, sir."

I didn't hesitate. "Do I have to shoot you for insubordination, Sergeant?"

"You wouldn't!" he spat back.

I withdrew my handgun from the holster and held it. I had had about enough of this man causing problems - especially whenever Emmeline seemed to be involved. "Are you willing to find out?" I questioned him. Part of me hoped that he would tempt me. I wanted to shoot him.

The man's eyes darted down to my handgun, then smirked before looking between me and Nurse Banks. He turned and headed towards the barracks. I waited until he was out of sight before holstering my sidearm.

I glanced over at Nurse Banks. "Are you all right?"

The moment I asked the question, her knees buckled out from under her. I caught her before she fell to the ground. I tried to steady her on her feet as I suggested, "I think we should get you back to your barracks, Nurse Banks."

She simply nodded, unable to speak. She held onto me for balance the entire walk to her room. When we stopped outside of her room, I finally had to ask, "What were you doing out here by yourself?"

She lifted her dark eyes to meet mine. "I went for a walk...I had to think about some things."

"So, you went walking by yourself in a place where there are a lot of lonely men who could easily take advantage of you?" I asked, furrowing my brow at her naivety.

She blinked at me. "Yes..."

I sighed heavily. "Why did you leave the party without someone to escort you back?" I asked. I began to wonder where Private Webster was. Why did he allow her to leave the party without making sure that she had made it back to the barracks safely? I found myself angry with him for putting her into harm's way.

She tilted her head at me in confused anger. "If I can't walk about freely on the base, how am I going to survive in the war?" she asked. "If I can't trust the men around me, why am I even allowed to be here?" She stopped to shake her head before pointing in the general direction of the party. "Or a better question would be, why are those men allowed to be here?"

I found myself somewhat taken aback by her sudden strength when speaking to me. I could tell that she had startled herself too. I smirked at her before asking, "Did you bite your lip when he attacked you?"

She scoffed. "You're changing the subject!" I could hear her frustration in her voice.

I nodded curtly. "I'll take that as a yes," I said. "When will you learn?"

Her hands balled up into fists as she grew angrier with me. "What is that supposed to mean?"

I held her angered gaze with a calm expression. "Are you angry with me, Nurse Banks?"

"I'm getting there," she admitted truthfully.

I couldn't help but smile widely at her. "Good."

My comment took her by surprise. She blinked at me, confused. Her fists relaxed. "What?"

I glanced away from her stare to scan the area around us. No one else had left the party. We were still alone. "You need to learn to toughen up," I told her. "Bad things are going to happen to you. People will attack you, try to take advantage of you, and you may not have a rescuer." I studied her face again before adding, "You need to learn to fend for yourself." I started to walk away from her but stopped briefly to look over my shoulder at her. I added, "Have a good night, Nurse Banks."

I took a couple more steps away from her when her voice stopped me once more. "Thank you, Lieutenant Speirs," she began. "For saving me."

I lifted my eyes to meet hers once more. I nodded to her before forcing myself to leave her standing in front of her barracks alone. As I walked down the path, I spotted Darla Sanderson approaching me. My eyes fluttered up to meet hers. It was apparent that she was concerned and confused to see me leaving Emmeline at their barracks door, but I hoped that she wouldn't confront me on my presence. I hoped that she'd talk to Emmeline and talk some sense into her as I was failing to reach her.

Once again, I found myself perturbed by Miss Banks. This hadn't been the first time I had gone out of my way to rescue her from situations that she seemed to put herself into. Whether she meant to or not, she often times needed help. Regardless of how often I scolded myself for interfering, for getting involved and being there for her, I couldn't keep myself from saving her. There simply was something about her that had piqued my interest and I was having a difficult time distancing myself.

I knew that if she were to survive the war, she had to stand up for herself. I wouldn't be there for her the moment we headed to war. She'd have to rely on Easy Company. I was trying to help her rely on herself, but she seemed to be fighting me on that.

I recalled her sudden strength against me earlier. She had a fighting spirit somewhere deep down within that shy, timid mouse of a person, but she seemed to keep that side of her locked away from prying eyes. I didn't understand that because I wanted to see more of that side of her. I began to wonder how far I could push her before she released that beast from within. It was an experiment worth pursuing. I just hoped that she'd be receptive to the lessons I was about to teach her.


	4. Broken Bones

The next morning, Captain Gross had informed me that the week had been given to the men to relax, get their personal effects in order - such as wills and letters back home - and the chance to tie up loose ends. He confided in me that the reason for this long break in training was because we were due to be leaving Camp Toccoa soon.

Hearing this news had caused me to become torn on the matter. While it was nice to have the break, I knew that meant the men would most likely be getting into trouble. That meant that I would have to be the one to set order back within the ranks. I wasn't looking forward to that task.

I tried to focus on my own personal tasks. I wrote letters home to my parents. I didn't have a need for a will at this moment in time, so I was less concerned about writing one up. As it was now, everything I had would be going to my parents as I didn't have anyone waiting for me back home outside of them.

The majority of the men had taken the time to leave the base during their free time; the nurses were no exception. It seemed like the days of seeing the nurses on the base were becoming few and far between. Part of me was reminded to what life was like on the base before their arrival, but then come the evening, they were back on base and I could breathe a sigh of relief knowing they were okay.

During my strolls around the base, I heard rumblings of how some of the men were planning on asking the nurses to upcoming events on base. One such rumor had me concerned for their safety because it involved Sergeant Jefferson.

I didn't realize the day that I had met that man just how much he would become the bane of my existence. It seemed no matter what, he seemed eager to find new ways of being around Nurse Banks. Had I not stopped him that one night weeks ago, he might have succeeded in whatever sick thought that had graced his lowly mind.

One particular afternoon as the men were returning from their allowed leave in the town nearby, I did my rounds about the base to clear my mind, as I did every day. As I neared the edge of one of the buildings, I heard voices, causing me to stop in my tracks. I recognized one of the voices to be Sergeant Jefferson.

"I'm not done with her," he told the man he was with.

"What are you planning on doing?" the other man asked, concern laced his words. "I mean, they had men from Easy to escort them back. I think you have to let it go-"

"They can't have the men escorting them everywhere," Jefferson stated. "Eventually, they will have no choice but to be alone."

"You're starting to worry me," the second man replied.

Jefferson's voice darkened. "If you say a word to anyone about this, I will kill you, mark my words!"

I straightened at his threat. I knew exactly who he was targeting without him having to come out and admit it. I decided not to walk around the corner this time to confront him. I had learned that confronting him did no good. I had to get creative on the matter. I needed help to ensure that he no longer posed as a threat.

I headed out in search of Winters. He was a good man and I knew that he'd help me out with this delicate matter. I also knew that if word got back to some of the men in Easy Company, they'd even volunteer for whatever solution we came up with.

Finding Winters was the easy part. He never left the base, even in his free time. I could always count on finding him somewhere - usually his barracks - writing letters back home to family or reading. I tried seeking him out at his barracks first.

I knocked on his door before hearing his invitation to enter. I walked in to see him sitting at his desk, just as I had assumed him to be. Dick looked up at me as I entered. He stood up and met me halfway across the room.

"What can I do for you, Ron?" he asked, extending his hand towards me.

I shook his hand. "I'm hoping you could be of assistance in a delicate matter."

Winters' brows furrowed together briefly. "What's going on?"

"It involves your field nurse," I replied.

"Emmeline?" he asked. I blinked at him, somewhat surprised that he called her by her first name instead of her surname.

Before I had a chance to explain the matter to him, another knock landed on his door. Winters tore his attention away from me to his door. "Come in."

We turned to see a couple of men from Easy Company entering the barracks, one of whom was Private Webster. I narrowed my eyes briefly at him, wondering why he was here.

"What's going on?" Winters asked.

The men from Easy seemed just as confused and uncomfortable to see me standing there as I was to see them entering. Webster carefully began, "We were hoping to talk to you about a man from another unit..." he turned his attention towards me, hesitating to continue. I knew immediately who he was referring to.

Winters turned to look at me, coming to the same conclusion that I had by Webster's wording. I held his gaze and stated, "I fear that we have the same problem, Private."

Webster seemed almost stunned at my admittance. I glanced at the other men that had entered the barracks with him. They seemed genuinely concerned about the safety of their nurse. It was written on their faces.

Winters seemed confused, turning his gaze back to his men. "What's going on? Someone want to fill me in?"

Webster explained, "We went to town today and we ran into the nurses." He glanced sideways at me, waiting for a reaction or for me to defend my Sergeant. I wasn't about to do either. He continued, "They explained that there is a man from another Company that's been harassing them."

"All of them?" Winters asked for clarification.

"Emmeline," Webster corrected himself. He shifted uncomfortably in his place. He continued to eye me warily.

"Which Company is this man from?" Winters questioned.

The men from Easy glanced over in my direction, almost afraid of what I would do if they said the truth. I cleared my throat, answering for them. "Dog Company," I said. I glanced between all of them before asking, "Isn't that right?"

They nodded, seemingly relieved that I had admitted that I knew more than they thought me to.

Winters knitted his brows together again. He glanced at his men once more. "Is Emmeline all right? What's this man done?"

"I don't know," Webster admitted. "All I know is that they seemed afraid of him."

I turned my attention back to Winters. "I will fill you on those matters in private," I stated. It was clear that Miss Banks didn't want to burden the men with specifics and I wouldn't betray her trust by making it universally known to all. I would respect her privacy.

Winters nodded that he heard me. "So, what are you hoping that we accomplish here?"

The men seemed at a loss to offer up a solution, outside of saying to get rid of him. I sighed heavily. "We could stage a fight between him and another man from the Division," I started to say. "A friendly spar between Companies but we make sure that he's too hurt to jump." The men stared at me in disbelief. I stated, "It's the only way to make sure that he goes home instead of with us." When they continued to stare at me, I added, "Unless you want me to shoot him?"

The men's faces were horrified by my suggestion to shoot my own Sergeant. Lord knew that I wanted to for a while, but I had restrained myself. This seemed to be the most logical way to go about handling Jefferson in a manner that he wouldn't be able to refuse.

"Who would we put up against him?" Winters asked, seemingly on board with this plan.

Each man in the room had raised their hands. Winters and I exchanged glances. I headed outside, with the men following me. I picked up a stick, breaking it into even pieces, except for one that was shorter. I turned and held it out for those men to draw from.

The men willingly reached out to draw a stick from my hand. When the man with the short stick saw that it would be him, a large smile plastered on his face. He removed his cigar stub from his mouth. "I won't let you down," he stated.

"I'm glad it's you, Bull," one of the other men replied.

Winters looked at his man. "Are you sure, Randleman?"

"There's nothing on this Earth to keep me out of that fight," he stated proudly. "I'd do anything for Emmeline."

Winters smiled like a proud father at the men. After he dismissed the men to prepare for this fight, he turned to me to find out what was going on.

I told him everything and I didn't hold back.

That evening, another party was being thrown. I had grown tired of these seemingly endless parties. I believed that it distracted from our purpose here. The men were beginning to forget why we were here and what we had been busy training for. When I had vented to Captain Gross about it, he simply told me that the men deserved to have fun while they could and reminded me that the majority of the men wouldn't live to see another party. I gritted my teeth and kept quiet about it moving forward. I refused to be part of the celebrations.

Instead, I reminded myself of the upcoming fight between Sergeant Jefferson and Easy Company's Sergeant Randleman. After seeing the size of Randleman, I had no doubts who would win this fight. Randleman was twice the size of Jefferson. His enthusiasm regarding this fight had been admirable too.

I let the men handle setting up the fight. It spread through the two Companies like wildfire. Word got back to me about the hour in the morning that this would take place. It would be happening shortly before the sun rose - before the base woke up. The timing couldn't have been more perfect for this.

When the time came, I found myself standing next to Winters while the men circled around, leaving an open ring for the fight itself. Randleman stood in the center, cigar stub hanging out of the corner of his mouth. He had taken his shirt off, leaving only his tank on. He didn't seem nervous but at the ready.

Jefferson shrugged his shirt off, smirking at Randleman before stepping into the circle. He sized Randleman up, clearly believing he would win this fight. He stared at Randleman, taunting, "I used to wrestle in school! I used to mop the floor with men your size." Randleman didn't say a word.

Winters stepped forward and stated, "This is a friendly match. The first one to yield loses." He looked between the men and asked, "Questions?" When no one answered, I caught a brief glance between Winters and Randleman. Randleman seemed to be asking silently for permission to beat the man within an inch of his life. Winters just nodded as he stepped away from the fight circle.

The second Winters had stepped out of the inner circle, Jefferson swung his right fist, slamming it hard into Randleman's shoulder. He quickly followed that blow with his left, landing on his jaw.

Randleman staggered back, stunned at how quickly Jefferson began the fight. The blow to his jaw caused his cigar stub to fly out of his mouth and to the ground.

Jefferson cocked his right arm back, ready to strike again, but Randleman blocked it as it came for his face. Randleman took his own fist, landing his own blow to Jefferson's stomach. The moment Jefferson crumpled slightly from the hit, Randleman brought his left knee up to meet Jefferson's chin.

Jefferson collapsed to the ground, on his hands and knees. Randleman turned to look at the men encircling them as they cheered. Jefferson had scrambled to his feet, charging at the turned man. He lunged for Randleman, wrapping his arms around his waist, tackling him to the ground.

The crowd moved out of the way as the two tumbled to the ground. Jefferson waited until Randleman rolled over onto his back before he started wailing on him with his fists.

Randleman took a couple of hits to the face before grabbing Jefferson by the shoulders, throwing him to the side. Jefferson regained his footing, just as Randleman hopped to his feet.

Jefferson charged Randleman again but was stopped by Randleman's fist to the nose. Everyone heard the nose break on contact. Jefferson shouted out in pain. He recoiled from the blow, holding his broken nose, blood cascading down his face.

Jefferson whirled around to glare at me. "Are you going to stop this, sir?"

"Do you yield?" I asked simply. I stared back at him with a calm expression.

Jefferson's eyes flashed red at my answer. He turned his back on me and he began attacking Randleman as a man possessed. Randleman struggled to block the flurry of attacks Jefferson dealt out. With each blow on Randleman, the more concerned I had started to become that Randleman might not win this fight after all.

It didn't take long before Randleman finally had enough of the fight. He used his shoulder, charging at Jefferson, knocking him onto the ground. Another loud snap echoed around them. Jefferson screamed out in pain.

Randleman quickly stood up, standing a few feet away from Jefferson as he laid still on the ground. Easy Company's medic rushed over to check him out.

Silence fell over the group. I remained where I was, waiting for the medic's news. He turned to address Winters and me. "His back is broken," the man stated. "Looks like he's heading home."

I nodded curtly, turning to Winters. Our eyes locked and we didn't have to say anything to one another. We knew that our problem involving this man was now over. I turned my attention to Dog Company's medic. "Get a stretcher," I ordered. "Get him out of here."

"Yes sir," my medic replied, rushing off to fulfill the given order.

I turned to the men still standing around to observe the scene. I spoke loudly enough for all to hear, "Go on. It's over."

The men began to disperse. I lifted my gaze to Randleman. Surprisingly, he didn't seem to have many bruises from the fight, except the massive one on the shoulder that Jefferson caused at the beginning of the fight. Randleman bent down to pick up his cigar stub, meeting my gaze as he stood up.

I offered him a small smile of thanks before pointing to his shoulder. "You should get that looked at."

He smiled wide. "Yes, sir." He turned and headed off towards the nurses' barracks. I knew that he'd inform Miss Banks that the danger of this particular Sergeant was no more.

I turned and walked away from the scene, silently happy that this was all over. I had, once again, done all that I could do for Miss Banks. There'd be nothing left for me to do for her anymore. I could focus my attention on the matter at hand moving forward. She didn't need protecting any longer.

A couple of days later, Jefferson had already been sent home to recover. During that time, we had been informed that we would be leaving Camp Toccoa and heading out. The orders were given to the men to begin packing up for the long journey towards New York.

It didn't take long for me to have my things packed up. I didn't bring much with me. There seemed to be no point in bringing anything along, only to ship it back home.

I continued to walk about the base, keeping the order when needed. I watched as the nurses spent their last few days at the base, packing and organizing the infirmary's supplies. I could see Miss Banks looking more relaxed since the incident with Jefferson had been handled. She seemed to be smiling more too, which was a rarity to see. She had a beautiful smile.

I cleared my throat, forcing myself to continue on my way.

The next morning, before the sun rose, the Division had been ordered to travel to the train station. Everyone piled into the train, finding a place to make themselves comfortable for the duration of the trip. I spent the first few hours, pacing the carts to make sure the men were in check. Once I was satisfied with my findings, I found an empty bench and sat down, lowering my hat over my face slightly to block the light. I was still tired and with this long train ride, there'd be nothing else to do but rest.

"May I sit?" a familiar voice asked.

Hearing Miss Banks' voice, I opened my eyes under my hat, wondering if she had been speaking to me. I didn't move as I waited for her to say something else to me.

I heard movement behind me as the man sitting there moved things around. Her voice spoke again, "How are you?"

"I've been better," the man's voice said directly behind me.

I thought about that voice. It finally dawned on me that she was speaking to Private Webster. I gritted my teeth, closing my eyes, and willing myself to sleep so I didn't have to focus on it any longer than necessary.

"I've been wanting to talk to you," she admitted.

"It's okay, Emmeline," he tried to say. He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than her. "Really."

"No, it's not," she replied, voice growing concerned. "I have to tell you something. I need you to understand what happened that night."  
I furrowed my brow. I wasn't sure which night she was speaking of. I continued listening in on their conversation.

"The thing is..." she began, voice trailing for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "I-it's been brought to my attention that..." She released a heavy sigh. "I've never been very good at knowing when someone has feelings for me unless it's bad. The truth of the matter is that I've lived a pretty neglected life."

There was a pregnant pause before I heard someone shifting in their place. Miss Banks continued, "I grew up in a home for girls. I was there since I was a young child...my father had died in the war and my mother just couldn't handle it."

The conversation fell silent again. I could hear the rumbling of the train overtake the room as I listened in.

She continued, "I would never wish anyone to live in the conditions that I had to in that wayward home. I've never thought that I was good enough for anyone and I struggle with that each and every day. I want you to know that I do love you, but not in the way that you want me to...I'm not even sure that I know how."

I felt my stomach drop listening to her confession. I felt guilty for eavesdropping on a personal conversation between the two of them, but I found myself unable to walk away or drown them out. She was sitting there telling him that she didn't love him...and I wanted to know why.

Memories of the two of them dancing that night came rushing back into my mind. I began to wonder what took place that night between them. That had to be the night she was referring to when she began speaking to him.

Webster finally broke the silence by asking, "Why are you telling me this?"

She replied, "Because I needed you to know the truth about me. I've never shared this with anyone..." she paused before saying, "Also, the girls are back there talking about family and things like that and I can't talk about mine...I just don't have that." Another short pause overtook the conversation before she added, "I love that you're my best friend, David. I hope that wherever we end up, we will still have that."

He cleared his throat quietly before saying, "I'd rather be your best friend than never having you in my life at all." He shifted in his seat, most likely sitting straighter in his chair. "Who knows, maybe one day, we'll be together in the end."

I tensed at the remark. I wanted to tell him to get the point; she wasn't interested. Instead, I remained still and silent behind them.

She chuckled politely. "We'll have to see, but promise me that you won't hold a candle for me."

He whispered, "I could teach you how to love..."

"I bet that you could," she admitted. "But right now...I don't think it's the right time. I'm still broken." Another pause before she added, "Anyways, I just wanted you to know what happened that night."

I heard her standing up from her seat. She said, "I guess I will see you around."  
I heard her footsteps walking away from us. The sounds of the train engulfed my ears as the conversation ended.

My mind raced with thoughts from that conversation. She had just opened up to Private Webster about her past - about things that she had endured - which explained why she was the way that she was. It started to make sense as I thought over her confession.

I still didn't have all of the facts about her past, but I had enough to go off of to draw up some compelling conclusions. It explained why she was so shy and timid, why she always did the right thing - she feared the punishments that would come from standing up for herself.

I realized as I sat there reminiscing over the details of Nurse Banks, that she was quite the mystery - one that I would solve eventually.

After the long train ride ended, we were shuffled onto the boats to head overseas to England. It would be quite a long journey in small quarters. Tempers would flair within the ranks as there would be zero room to move about, no privacy, and nothing to do but start fights.

I couldn't wait for the boat trip to be over and I knew the men would have mirrored my thoughts to the letter if they had been asked.


	5. In The Air Tonight

Arriving in England was a sight for sore eyes. The fresh air was much needed as we disembarked from the ships onto solid ground. Once assembled, we were given our orders to move out to the base that would be our home until further notice. We were to begin training the moment we got settled in.

The men shuffled into the base in Upottery, searching for their barracks and much-needed food. As I followed my Company towards our barracks, I spotted the nurses sharing tearful embraces. I halted in my tracks.

Each nurse seemed saddened as they exchanged words and hugs with one another. Nurse Sanderson had handed several journals to the girls before three of them walked away from Miss Banks and Miss Sanderson, both of whom were holding onto each other as they watched their friends walk away.

It became obvious to me that the other three were being shipped out to join their Divisions. I watched the emotions that came from the nurses. They had developed strong bonds with one another - much like the men had done - but to see how much those women relied on each other for solace and comfort, made it that much more unbearable to see them torn apart. I feared for the day that one of them was killed in this war. I wondered how they would handle that news.

I tore my eyes away from them, forcing myself to find my barracks and begin training the men right away as ordered. We would have a lot to do and a short amount of time to do it in.

Just as I entered my barracks, I dumped my things onto the cot. A knock landed on the door. I turned, saying, "Enter."

The door opened and Nixon and Winters walked inside. I raised an eyebrow at the two. Nixon asked, "Did you hear the good news?" I blinked at them, waiting for him to continue. He smirked as he admitted, "This man is the luckiest bastard to grace the earth."

I narrowed my eyes briefly, confused. I glanced over to Winters. He turned his attention from Nixon to me. He admitted, "My court-martial has been dropped."

Before I could ask what had happened, Nixon interjected, "Sobel has been sent to overlook training at Chilton Foliat."

"Who's his replacement then?" I asked. I was somewhat pleased to hear that Sobel wouldn't be running Easy Company any longer. It meant that Miss Banks had one less tyrant in her life. The men of Easy Company wouldn't have to worry about the man leading them into a slaughter.

Nixon replied, "Lieutenant Meehan will be in charge."

It took me a moment to remember which man was Meehan but once I recalled who he was, I nodded. "I think he'll do a fine job."

Nixon smirked. "That's what he said," he admitted, smacking Winters in the chest.

"When do you tell the men?" I asked.

"Meehan will want to address them personally," Winters replied. "Most likely tonight."

"In the meantime," Nixon began, shifting the conversation away from Sobel. "We have work to do before we announce our mission objectives to the men. All officers are expected to be there."

I nodded curtly, understanding the order. I watched them take their leave of my barracks and I set to the task of changing before heading to the hangar for my orders.

Inside the hangar, Colonel Sink addressed the officers of the Division, explaining to them the objectives of each Company. Overall, the paratroopers would be a part of Mission Albany - a combat assault during the night, landing in occupied territory in Normandy. This would be the opening step in Operation Neptune.

Dog Company would be asked to secure the area of Ste. Come-du-Mont, which would allow Regimental Headquarters to coordinate rolling barrage shellings on fifteen different targets.

After several hours of listening to each Company's orders and tasks, we were shown aerial photos as well as ground photos to help orient us to our surroundings as best as we could given the circumstances of never having set foot there before.

I made sure to memorize the sand tables, photographs, and other documentation until I knew them in my sleep and could draw the map if asked. I spent several more hours in the hangar preparing for what was coming. In the days leading up to the inevitable jump, I found myself incredibly focused that I didn't think about anything else.

The following week, we had informed the men - each Company - separately, explaining the mission to them. We ordered them to study the information we had, the sand tables, and to ask questions. This would be the only time they would get the opportunity. Word had come to us that we would be jumping soon.

I watched as the men took in the news of the jump. Some seemed incredibly nervous - almost as though they suddenly realized the severity of what would be coming. Some were saying silent prayers as they listened. I kept my calm expression as I watched them.

A couple of days later, everyone had assembled onto the airfield to check their supplies one final time. Face paint had been passed about and most of the men had spread it across their faces. When it came to me, I dipped my fingers in, bringing my fingers down my cheeks and one straight down the bridge of my nose.

I checked my supplies alongside my men. Satisfied with my findings, I began packing up my things inside my normal bag, ignoring the newly mandated musette bag. Like many of the men, I didn't appreciate that they decided to spring this new bag on us last minute with no proper training on how to utilize it. It would mean that we would now have a larger bag to carry through enemy territory or at the very least, take the time to empty the bag after we jumped - hoping not to be shot in the process. I refused to use this bag.

Once my things were repacked and secured over my shoulder, I began my rounds through my Company, helping the men as they needed it. I withdrew a cigarette from my front breast pocket and lit it. Smoke billowed away from the end as I puffed.

Most of the men had already figured out the mechanics of the musette bag and were helping others. Word reached us about filling out wills if we still needed to do that. I made sure that the men heard that order.

I stopped to glance at the airfield. I knew that the majority of the men around me wouldn't survive the jump to see another day. I took in each man's face as I wondered which poor bastard wouldn't live long enough to see the end of the war. I knew that I ran the risk of being one of those men too.

Then my eyes landed on a familiar frame across the way. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, falling over her shoulder. She struggled to lift her musette bag off the ground. I watched her struggle for a time, wondering how she would even manage with it once we were in the planes.

As I watched her from a distance, I started to say a prayer for her survival - even though I wasn't really a religious man myself. For some reason, I found myself reaching out to any higher power to help make sure that she survived.

"Sir?" a voice spoke behind me, breaking my thoughts.

I turned to face one of Sink's men. "Yes, Private?"

"Your presence is required," he stated, motioning for me to follow him. "This way, sir."

I nodded curtly, following him down the airfield towards the hangar that still houses all of the mission objectives, sand tables, and photographs. Inside the hanger were all the officers. I stood next to Captain Gross and Winters. I asked, "What's going on?"

They shrugged in response. It seemed that none of us knew what to expect. Some of the officers were whispering among each other as we waited to be told the reason for this gathering.

Sink walked in, taking long strides, showing just how much of a hurry he was in. He stopped before all of us and stated, "Gentlemen, I've been informed that there is terrible weather in our selected DZ." Murmurs were heard throughout the officers. Sink continued, "We're going to be on a 24-hour hold until it clears up." He motioned to Lieutenant Meehan and said, "Tom, would you mind making that announcement to the men?"

"Of course, sir," Meehan said with a nod.

Sink turned to us once more. "I'm sorry to tell you this. I know that it will make a mess of your nerves." He saluted us once more before taking his leave from the hangar.

The officers exchanged looks with one another. While some were breathing breaths of relief, most of us were annoyed. We wanted to get this over with. This was only delaying the inevitable.

Meehan had exited the hangar to inform the men that there would be no jump tonight and they'd have the chance to relax one more night before we would leave for certain.

I exited the hangar just as Meehan had finished updating the men. I could hear the waves of groans coming from the men. I could see their frustrations and understood them entirely.

My eyes drifted back over to where I had last seen Miss Banks. I found myself tense when I spotted Private Webster helping her with her musette bag. She was smiling up at him, clearly grateful for the help. I couldn't tear my eyes off of the two of them. The moment I saw them laughing, I stormed away, unable to keep watching the exchange.

I marched straight for my barracks. I knew that I would remain there until we were ordered to jump. I didn't want to see anyone during this 24 hour stand down.

The next day, I gathered my things once more, securing them to my body. I glanced up at the mirror inside my barracks. I didn't bother washing the face paint off my face from the night before. It smeared slightly, but I didn't care. I headed outside to the airfield.

We repeated the events from the day before, checking our supplies and packing them into the musette bags. I still refused to use it. When the time came, we began climbing into the planes which were idling at the ready for us.

I didn't scan the airfield this time. I didn't search for Miss Banks. I kept my head straight ahead and focused on the days ahead. I didn't need the distraction - especially when I wasn't needed anymore.

I sat down near the back of the plane, just like in training. I eyed the men in the plane. I could see their nerves. Our medic began to pass out airsickness pills to the men to take. I refused mine.

The planes began to turn to head down the runway. Each plane would wait for their turn before picking up speed and lifting off into the air. It was now a reality that we were finally heading to war. It would be a matter of time before we jumped into heavily occupied territory to being our invasion.

Outside the roar of the plane engines, the flight had been deadly quiet. No one spoke. Some of the men had fallen asleep, which had been a side effect of the pills given to the men. I was thankful that I had the foresight not to take them and it made me wonder about the musette bags too. Some of the men continued praying and others just seemed to be lost in thought.

After a couple of hours, we could start to hear the prop blasts cracking in the sky nearby. It became obvious that the enemy could hear our planes approaching but couldn't see us. My heart began to race as I prepared myself for what was coming.

The moment the prop blasts and tracer bullets began to grow louder by the second, our jump light flipped on to red. "Okay!" Captain Gross shouted over the noise. "Stand up!"

Everyone struggled to stand. The plane began shaking as the pilots did their best to fly through the mess outside. "Hook up!"

No one had to be told twice. The plane jerked, sending a couple of the men off balance. I braced against the side of the plane, keeping myself from being thrown to the floor as some had already.

The cracks of the prop blasts were getting closer and the ricochets of bullets plinking off the underside of the plane were becoming more frequent.

Glancing out the window, we could see a few planes in flames, barreling down to the earth. We couldn't tell if any of them had jumped in time or not.

Our jump light illuminated green and Gross shouted, "Let's go!" He disappeared through the door. The men followed in suit, one after the other, with no hesitation at all. I brought up the rear, watching as each man threw himself out the door and into dangerous skies.

It was finally my turn and I jumped. The sounds around me were deafening. I could feel each prop blast as I drifted down to the ground. The tracers helped me determine where the enemy was positioned as I took in my surroundings as best as I could given the hour.

I glanced down to see the ground barreling towards me. I pulled on the risers, landing on the grass beneath me. Instinctively, I disengaged myself from my chute and shifted my things. I grabbed my gun and began to make my way to cover.

Once I found some cover within a small hedgerow, I glanced about my surroundings. This wasn't anywhere near the proper DZ for Dog Company. It became apparent to me that the pilots had misplaced us or simply panicked in the heat of the moment.

Thinking over the planes that had gone down in a blaze of fire, I found myself understanding of their decision. They probably saved more lives by forcing us to jump earlier than we needed to.

I took another moment to study my surroundings. I had memorized the tables for this exact reason. It took a couple of minutes, but I had an idea of where I was in relation to the information I studied. I knew that the enemy had begun flooding the fields to slow our approach from the beaches. If the information we had been giving by the Resistance was accurate, then I knew some of those fields should be close by. I decided to head that way, remaining in cover as I searched for allies.

As I navigated through the dark forest, I didn't see many troopers, let alone the enemy. The moment I spotted silhouettes nearby, I crouched and waited to see which side they were on.

Two men approached the flooded fields. I scanned the immediate area. They were the only ones here, except for the occasional body laying on the ground. They stopped at the edge of the water, pointing down at a body lying half out.

The two bent down, grabbing the person's arms and lifting them to their feet. I clenched my jaw as I recognized Miss Banks' frame. For a split second, I feared that she had died on the jump. When I watched her push one of the men away from her before attacking the second, I blinked in surprise of her boldness in this dangerous situation.

At least she understands the need to fight or die, I thought to myself. Without hesitating, I ran out of my cover, aiming my weapon at the man she pushed earlier. I lined up the shot quickly and pulled the trigger. I knew I hit my target square on when the man's body collapsed to the ground.

My eyes landed on Miss Banks. She had cringed at the sound of my gun going off. Slowly, she stood up, removing the trench knife from the chest of the man she had just killed.

Distant gunfire echoed around us. Roaring planes above continued to drop men onto the area. I slowly approached her, checking the dead as I went to scrounge for supplies. I wouldn't let anything go to waste if I had any say in the matter.

"Thank you for finding me!" she said, almost cheerfully. "I don't think I would have lived if you hadn't come along!" She took a couple of steps towards me. "How was your jump Web-"

I stood up straight, already frustrated that she thought I was Private Webster. I kept my face calm as I looked her in the eye.

Her mouth fell open, clearly stunned that I wasn't who she thought I was. She muttered, "Not Webster..."

I looked her up and down for a moment. "Nurse Banks," I started. "Are you all right?"

She bit her lip briefly, nodding at the question.

I didn't look away from her. "Where is your gear?"

She turned to look at the water, where several parachutes coated the surface. "I had to dump it," she admitted sheepishly.

Once again, I found myself grateful for having rejected that stupid musette bag. I still had all of my things, whereas Miss Banks had a trench knife and whatever she had on her body. "Do you have a weapon?" I asked, still holding her gaze.

She glanced down at her bloody hands, showing me with shaky hands that she was holding the trench knife. She sighed, lifting her eyes to meet mine again.

I gritted my teeth as I removed my sidearm from the holster. I extended it towards her. She blinked at my gesture, unsure if she should take it from me or not. I got tired of waiting for her to take the gun from me and motioned for her to take it. "Take it, come one. Take it."

She finally reached forward, taking the gun from me. I smirked at her timidness, even now. She exhaled sharply, lifting her eyes back to meet mine, clearly waiting for orders.

I asked her, "Are you ready?"

She bit her lip again. "Yes, sir."

I motioned with my head which direction we would be heading as I started out. She followed me closely. I made sure to stay within the tree line to remain hidden as well as for cover.

She whispered, "What happened?"

I didn't look back at her. I kept my eyes busy scanning the forest around us for signs of the enemy. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean..." she paused. "I guess it's safe to assume we're all off target from our drop zone?"

"That's about right," I said simply.

Suddenly, she became quiet and had slowed her pace. I glanced over my shoulder at her. She was biting her lip, seemingly lost in thought too. I turned my gaze forward again. "What are you thinking about?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked, seemingly unaware of her behaviors.

I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at her. "You're biting your lip and you've suddenly grown quiet, not to mention you're slowing your pace."

She held my gaze, releasing her lip from her hold. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize," I replied. "Just answer the question."

She took in a slow breath before saying, "You confuse me."

I chuckled, turning from her to continue walking. She followed close behind again.

Surprisingly, she didn't drop her conversation. "You seem so different when it's just you and me than when you're around others," she stated. "I don't understand that."

I shook my head. "I think you're reading too much into things, Nurse Banks." I wanted her to let it go. I didn't want to tell her the truth - the truth that she seemed to have started to notice.

She opened her mouth to ask me something, but I interrupted her before she got the chance. "What happened between you and Webster?"

"What?" she asked, taken by surprise.

"You heard me," I said gruffly. I didn't want to talk about Webster either, but if it distracted her from how I had been treating her differently, then I would gladly put myself in that uncomfortable place.

After a short pause, she whispered, "He's just a good friend."

"That's not the rumor," I blurted out. I wasn't even sure there was a rumor about the two of them, but it was too late to back out of the comment now.

She stammered, "W-what is the rumor then?"

Just as she whispered those words, I spotted a group of men approaching our area. I whirled around, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders and pushing her to the ground by the base of a giant oak tree. I threw myself on top of her protectively. I could see that she was about to protest and quickly placed my hand over her mouth, lifting my index finger on that hand to tell her to stay quiet.

My eyes locked on the silhouettes of the men approaching. It was far too dark to tell if they were on our side or not and I wasn't about to risk her life by shouting our code words or using the cricket. It was far too risky and we were outnumbered. I knew I wouldn't be able to take them all on by myself and have us both come out of the encounter unscathed.

Her dark eyes were wide with fear as she watched the group of men walk by us. After a few moments of silence, I looked down at her and removed my hand from her mouth. I whispered, "Let's go."

She nodded, blinking up at me. I stood up, pulling her to her feet behind me. We continued our walk through the dark forest towards the direction I believed we would find our men.

We walked for several miles without running across a single soul. I found that to be both comforting and nerve-wracking. I was also thankful that Miss Banks seemed to understand the gravity of the situation and remained close to me and quiet...for the most part.

The moment we found ourselves in a small clearing, she asked, "Where are we going, Lieutenant?"

"There should be a farmhouse up ahead," I stated. "We need to take a look there."

"Why?"

I raised an eyebrow at her question. I wondered if she took the time to study the sand tables or not. Instead of asking if she had prepared herself for the jump, I simply said, "It might be where Battalion has set up headquarters."

After another few moments of silence, I glanced at her sideways. "Where are you from, Nurse Banks?" I asked. I was trying to make her a bit more comfortable in a situation that would make anyone tense.

She looked down at her feet. "Here and there."

"Where would that be?" I pushed her, disapproving her answer.

She sighed, finally giving in to my whims. "I grew up in Montana."

"Did you like it there?" I asked.

Her brows twitched before she said, "It was okay."

"You're lying, Nurse Banks," I told her.

She scoffed at me. "H-how do you know?"

I stopped in my tracks to look her dead in the eye. Her eyes were wide with fear as I stated, "You're a terrible liar."

She bit her lip. "If I told you that it was the worst place I had ever been in my life, what would you say to that?"

"At least it would be the truth," I said. I glanced down at her lips and ordered, "Stop biting your lip."

She released her lip, but they pursed to the side in almost amusement. "Does that bother you?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied simply.

"May I ask why?" she pushed.

I turned away from her and continued walking. "It's a bad habit."

She tilted her head in confusion. "What?"

"It's a bad habit," I repeated myself, unsure if she didn't hear me or not.

"No, I heard you," she replied. "I don't understand."

Frustrated by the conversation, I stopped to face her again. "You're going to damage your lips by constantly biting them. It's a bad habit. One you should stop."

She blinked at me. "So you're telling me that it's a bad habit like smoking and drinking?"

A genuine smile broke out across my face. I couldn't help it. I felt like a silly schoolboy all of a sudden. "I know what you're doing."

"What am I doing?" she questioned.

I closed the short gap between us and spoke softly, "You're trying to trap me. It's not going to work."

She took a step back. "What?"

I followed her lead. "You were about to tell me that your lip biting is nothing like other bad habits."

Our eyes locked with one another. For the first time, I got a good look at her eyes. They were filled with so much emotion that I never noticed before. The color of her eyes were a dark molasses in this lighting.

"Isn't it?" she asked, breaking my concentration.

I didn't reply. I refused to be baited by her. I couldn't tear my eyes away from hers. I felt almost mesmerized by hers.

She finally broke the silence between us. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" I whispered.

She tore her eyes away from me. "Treat me differently when we're alone."

"I treat you the same regardless of who is around you," I replied, forcing myself to continue forward.

She cleared her throat as she followed me. "No, you don't," she said. "When there are others around you-"

I raised my hand for her to be quiet. I could have sworn I heard the faint sounds of a cricket nearby. I knelt down in the brush to be safe, thankful that she followed in suit.

I heard the cricket again and quickly pulled mine out, clicking it a couple of times. Soon, a couple of our men appeared out of the thicket.

"Good to see you, Lieutenant," one of them said, approaching us.

"You too, Private," I replied. I shook their hands before asking, "Have they set up Battalion near here?"

"Yes sir," the man replied, pointing up the trail. "Up the path here, at the farmhouse."

I nodded, glancing over my shoulder to look at Nurse Banks. "Let's get you to Battalion."

Her eyes darted between all of us before she nodded to follow me down the lane.

Our walk was brief as the farmhouse neared. My eyes darted around the men that I could see as we made our approach. Some of the men who had gathered were familiar to me, while there were quite a few that I didn't recognize. It became glaringly obvious that all of our drop zones were messed up.

"When we get to Battalion, you'll need to check in to your commander," I told her. She nodded that she heard me, but remained silent.

Just as we entered the property, I spotted Winters and Compton. I turned to her. "I'll take you where you need to go."

She replied, barely a whisper, "You don't have to...I mean, I think I can find it if you're busy."

I stared at her for a moment before repeating myself, "I'll take you."

She raised an eyebrow at me, clearly thinking something. Thankfully, she didn't argue with me. She followed me as we navigated towards the back of the property. Her pace had slowed again, causing me to glance over my shoulder to watch her. She seemed to be looking around - looking for someone.

I stopped and asked, "Nurse Banks?"

She blinked back to the present, looking up at me. "Yes?"

I lifted my eyes, scanning the area. I half expected to see Private Webster among the men, but he wasn't there. I turned back to her. "Looking for someone?"

She cleared her throat. "No. I'm sorry," she said. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

I remained where I was, watching her carefully. When she forced herself to look at me again, I simply nodded and walked away from her. I wasn't about to hold her hand during this war. I had already done so much for her and yet, she still seemed to be searching for Webster.

Memories of her conversation with him on the train came back to me. I felt somewhat confused as to why she would tell him that she didn't care for him in that manner, yet turned around to behave as though she did. I was somewhat frustrated that I misread the signals.


	6. Does It Really Matter?

Forcing myself to focus on the task at hand, I walked about the property to see how many of my men had found themselves regrouping here. With each man that I found, I kept a count inside my mind.

Strayer spotted me as I walked the grounds. He waved me over. "Mind giving me a hand with something?" he asked.

I blinked at him. "Yes, sir."

Strayer inhaled sharply before saying, "We've got a problem that we need to deal with." His eyes bounced around him before admitting, "We have a few prisoners on our hands, but we don't have anywhere to take them."

I narrowed my eyes at him briefly. "I'll take care of it."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Strayer sighed. "I knew I could count on you."

I gritted my teeth as I thought over the order he had just given me. He couldn't bring himself to say the words - which told me just how terrible it would be received. It was why he couldn't give the command - why he passed that responsibility to me. I would have to think about how to handle this.

As I neared Winters and Compton, Winters called out to me. "Hey, Lieutenant Speirs." I stopped next to them, waiting for him to continue. "How many men from Dog Company got assembled?"

"A handful," I replied. "Maybe twenty."

"Are you the only officer that made it?" Winters asked.

I watched Compton removing his cigarettes from his breast pocket. I replied, eyes still glued to the cigarettes, "So far. Still waiting for orders."

The moment Compton tossed a pack of cigarettes to one of his men, I asked, "You got some cigarettes?"

Compton glanced between Winters and me before removing another full pack of cigarettes. "Here."

I grabbed it and marched away from them. I could hear Compton call after me, "Hey, keep the pack!"

I ignored his remark. I had a job to do - a job that I didn't want, but had to handle. It was an order, after all. I pointed to two men from Dog Company to accompany me. We headed down the lane where I had been informed the prisoners were being held.

Nearing the place, I watched as one of the Easy Company's men started to run past me. Our eyes met briefly as he went by. Calmly, I climbed up the small hill. I pulled a cigarette from the pack I took from Compton and placed it in between my lips. I held the pack out to one of the German soldiers. "Zigaretten?"

The man smiled at me as he took the pack. I motioned to the others. The man nodded that he understood my offer and began to pass them out to his comrades.

I turned to the men that were with me and whispered, "We've been ordered to eliminate these prisoners."

"Sir?" one of my men asked, confused.

I understood why he had been confused, but I explained, "We have nowhere to put them - nowhere to send them. We can't let them go either." Calmly, I eyed the men with me. "We have no choice. This is what we are here to do. Just do it."

I stepped aside and watched as the men mowed down the prisoners in cold blood. It sent chills down my spine as I watched these soldiers collapse into a shallow grave, freshly lit cigarettes burning their fingers.

I swallowed, still holding my stern but calm expression as I ordered, "Make sure they're all dead."

"Yes sir," one of the men replied.

I turned and made my way back to the farmhouse. As I walked, I had to convince myself that this was an order and whether or not I agreed with the order, this had to happen. We were at war. This sort of thing couldn't be avoided.

I puffed on my cigarette as I reentered the property. I could see Winters speaking Strayer about the 88s we were hearing around us. I knew we'd be heading out to take those guns down. It was just a matter of time.

Strayer's eyes fell upon me as he started to leave Winters and motioned for me to follow him. I fell into step with him. He asked, still in a hushed voice, "Did you take care of it?"

"Yes sir," I replied. "It's done."

"Good," Strayer replied. "Now, wait here until we get word on what to do moving forward."

I furrowed my brow at the remark but stayed put. I knew that if Winters and his men were heading out to take care of the battery nearby, he'd need the support.

Instead of sitting on my hands, waiting for Strayer to give me orders to help, I sought out the men from my Company who had managed to assemble.

I explained the situation to them as I knew it. I told them to be on the ready to head into battle. We'd be helping Easy Company take down some serious weaponry. The men seemed eager to go.

During the time I spent informing my men, Easy Company had already headed out. We could hear the battle raging on. Within a few minutes of their assault, some of the men were returning with some wounded.

I turned to address my men when I was interrupted by a man named, Hester. "Sir?" I glanced over my shoulder at the man. He seemed nervous to be speaking with me. He continued, "Winters is in need of more ammo, sir."

I nodded quickly, ordering my men, "Gather all the ammo you can find. We're going to be moving out."

I marched over to where the medics had set up shop. I saw the man laying on his stomach, grimacing as Nurse Banks set to the task of cleaning up his wound.

"Private Wynn?" I asked.

Both Banks and Wynn looked up at me in surprise. Wynn groaned, "Yes sir?"

"What's the situation out there?" I asked. My eyes drifted to watch Nurse Banks' hands at work. She worked with precision, yet remained gentle with her movements.

"I'm not sure, sir," he admitted. "There's a lot of Germans there- Ah!" He grunted in pain, lowering his head to his arms.

"Sorry, Pop," Miss Banks apologized, her cheeks reddening slightly.

"How many men do you have out there?" I asked.

"I'm not sure sir, but I think they could use the help," he hissed through the pain. "And ammo. Ah!"

I lifted my eyes up to meet Nurse Banks'. "Thank you, Private," I said. "I'll see what I can do." I turned and headed back to my men. They were waiting for my return.

I motioned for my men to head out. We didn't waste any time. We ran up the field, hard and fast. I spotted Winters at one of the cleared gun locations. I knelt down next to him, taking the ammo from around my neck off to pass it to his men. "Winters!" I shouted over the noise. Winters turned to see me - almost shocked that I knelt beside him. I explained, "Hester said you needed ammo!"

Winters took some of the ammo and passed it down to Malarkey. "Malarkey! As much as you can! Everyone!"

As Malarkey made his way down the line, my men and I began to provide covering fire. I paused and turned to Winters. "Do you mind if D Company has a shot at the next gun?"

Winters blinked at me, clearly puzzled by my request. I just wanted to make sure the men got the experience they needed to move forward in this war. This was what they had to expect moving forward. We were no longer playing in the training fields in Georgia.

Winters nodded. "All yours!"

I didn't hesitate. "Let's go, Dog Company!" I hopped over the back of the gun, charging towards the remaining 88.

We ran down the trench together. My eyes fell upon a couple of Germans who were preparing to flank us. I hopped out of the trench, firing my weapon at them. I heard bullets landing into the man behind me's chest.

A grenade exploded off to my right, but D Company and I didn't falter. Within minutes of charging on the gun, we cleared the area. I turned and waved back to Winters and Compton, both of whom seeing stunned at what had just taken place. Winters gave me a thumbs up when the shock wore off his face.

We held the gun, providing more covering fire from that position while we waited for someone to come with the TNT. Within five minutes, Lipton had shown up, out of breath. He placed the TNT inside the gun, lighting it and shouting that we get back into cover. We didn't have to be told twice.

Once the gun was disabled, we could hear the orders to fall back. My men and I continued to fire upon the enemy as we made our way to safety. I lost a few men that day, but those that survived know understood their roles in this war.

We returned to the farmhouse. The men took a moment to gather their things and resupply what ammo they had used. It was at this moment that I realized that I still didn't have my sidearm. For a split second, I had forgotten where it was until my eyes landed on Nurse Banks. I began to make my way over to her.

A couple of soldiers were standing there conversing with her. I heard her say, "He's going back. Be gentle with him, it's still pretty sensitive."

"Yes ma'am," one of the men said in a mocking tone of voice.

I gritted my teeth before asking, "Are you being disrespectful to our nurse, Private?"

All three of them had turned to look at me and all three of them tensed nervously at my approach. I stood a couple of feet away from the men, staring into their eyes calmly.

"No sir, I mean," he stammered. "I didn't mean-"

"Then get back to work and don't give her any more grief," I ordered.

"Yes sir," the two said, carrying Wynn off on a stretcher.

My eyes drifted over to meet Nurse Banks. She held my gaze and said, "Thanks."

I nodded curtly. "How are you doing here?"

She licked her lips briefly. "I've been better."

I stepped forward, stopping closely to her, waiting for her to elaborate, but she didn't. My eyes lowered to the bag she placed over her shoulders. "I see you've found another kit."

She looked down at the bag, nodding. "I did," she admitted before motioning over to the dead nearby. "From that medic..."

I glanced quickly in that direction but held her gaze. I finally held my hand out to her, palm up. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."

She furrowed her brow at me, looking confused. "What?"

I cocked my head slightly to the side. "My sidearm."

"Oh!" she gasped, opening her coat to pull out the weapon. She handed it over to me. "Thank you for letting me borrow it back there..." I nodded once, turning to leave. She stopped me. "Lieutenant?" I glanced over my shoulder, waiting for her to continue. She said, "Thank you for saving me back there... I-I don't know what would have-"

"You're welcome," I interrupted her. Quickly, I turned and walked away from her.

That night, Division held the farmhouse at Brecourt. We would be leaving in the morning. The men were grateful to have a place to sleep off the effects of the air-sickness pills before we'd be moving out. The longer we stayed at Brecourt, the more men began filtering in and falling into their units; even an Armored unit rolled in for a spell.

I found myself wired and unable to sleep. Instead of tossing and turning in hopes of sleep, I paced the grounds, trying to keep focused for the days to come. I realized that a large part of the responsibilities was going to fall upon my shoulders as I hadn't seen any other officer from my company yet.

I rounded the corner and spotted Captain Gross entering the property with a couple of men. I nodded hello to him as I approached.

"What's the word?" Gross asked.

I filled him in on the events of the afternoon. I told him how many men were lost while taking the battery. I explained that I had been the only officer so far. He didn't seem surprised.

"We're going to be moving out at first light," he informed me. "Make sure that you're ready to go."

I nodded, turning to continue my rounds. As I neared my next turn, I spotted a familiar frame mindless wandering the grounds. I stood up straight as I headed over to her. "Nurse Banks?" I asked. She jumped slightly at my presence. I continued, "What are you doing up at this hour?"

She turned to face me, eyes wide. "I-I couldn't sleep, sir."

"Why is that, Nurse Banks?" I asked, stepping closer to her. The moonlight lit up her face, making it easier to see her.

She bit the inside of her lip, trying hard to hide that she was doing so. "I don't know," she admitted.

"Yet you felt that you were safe enough to roam the camp at this hour?" I asked, eyes narrowing at her. "Do you realize that one of the sentries could have shot you if they believed you to be the enemy?" I took another step towards her. I tried to understand what went on inside that head of hers. She didn't seem to be afraid of the consequences of her actions - even in a warzone. She simply didn't think before she acted. I was growing annoyed by that.

She stammered, "I-I d-didn't think-"

My jaw tightened. "That's right," I replied gruffly. "You didn't think."  
Her brows knitted together, clearly growing angry with me. I had seen that look once before, but because it didn't happen again, I didn't think she had it in her to do it again. She glared at me. "What is wrong with me taking a walk about the camp?" she asked. "I'm not leaving it, nor am I going so far to the edge of our camp to be mistaken for the enemy!"

I raised an eyebrow at her sudden strength. I fought the urge to smile at her. She was angry, and while I understood her anger, it was endearing to see. "Get back to bed, Nurse Banks," I ordered. "We move out in the morning."

Neither one of us moved from our spot. She asked, "Why do you do that?"

I didn't blink. "Do what, Nurse Banks?"

"Bully me," she replied softly. The cadence of her voice broke my heart a little. I forced myself to ignore that side of me.

I glanced over my shoulder, making sure that we were alone. I turned back to her and replied, "I do not bully you."

"Yes, you do," she stated. "You do every time we are alone together... at least...most of the time."

I sighed. "I treat you the same way that I treat everyone-"

She cut me off. "No, you don't and I'd appreciate it if you'd stop saying that when we both know that it's not true."

I chuckled. I couldn't help myself. "I'm amazed that you've suddenly found a little backbone, Nurse Banks," I admitted. "I wonder where you found it."

I could see her jaw clenching before she said, "Your constant teasing and bullying probably caused it."

A smile formed on my lips. "I'll escort you back to your bunk," I said, nodding slightly in approval. She was learning, at least.

She sighed heavily, following me reluctantly. I led her to the makeshift med station. Just before I turned to leave, I whispered, "Just when I thought I had you figured out, Nurse Banks."

Her head whipped up to meet my gaze. "Excuse me?"

I stood over her as I replied, "You're not the meek mouse that I thought you were."

I turned to leave when she stopped me. "Lieutenant Speirs?" I stopped to look at her. She asked, "How did you find out about what happened between me and Sergeant Jefferson?"

Memories of that man and the things he did to her came rushing back into my mind. Hypothetics of what he could have done to her sprang into the forefront of my imagination. I blinked those thoughts and memories away, nodding slightly at her. "Good night, Nurse Banks."

I turned and walked away from her. I couldn't tell her the truth. It would do no good to admit what had taken place during that time. I refused to put myself into a position that would do her harm. She deserved better than that.

I didn't sleep much that night. I was awake when the rest of the Division began to stir. My men were gathering their things, assembling together for our orders.

My eyes scanned the area but stopped as I watched Nurse Banks waking up from her sleeping place. She readjusted her things before standing up and meandering her way towards Easy Company.

She stopped unexpectedly, glancing over her shoulder to look at me. Our eyes locked. I wondered if she felt my gaze on her, much like a wild animal felt before they were attacked. I quickly turned my gaze over to one of my men.

I pointed to his bag. "Make sure you're resupplied. Might not get another chance for a while."

"Yes, sir," the man replied.

I noticed a couple of my men speaking to Nurse Banks. I narrowed my eyes as I watched the exchange. Why hadn't they come to join the others, I wondered. I stormed over there.

When I reached them, the men were laughing, but she didn't seem amused. I asked gruffly, "Are you men ready to go?"

The laughter ceased and all eyes were upon me. The men straightened themselves, saluting me in the process. I eyed the men carefully, keeping my face void of emotion, but the look in my eye must have said it all.

"Then get into formation, we're heading out," I stated. Just as they were getting ready to walk by me, I asked as I held out my cigarettes, "Smoke?"

They shook their heads, looking even worse than before. They picked up the pace to rejoin the men. Inside, I laughed because I knew what was being said about me and the cigarettes. I wanted to play it up. If they feared me that much, it would work for my advantage - I'd see to that.

Once the men left quickly, I turned my attention back to a somewhat startled Nurse Banks. As I put the cigarettes back into my coat pocket, I asked, "Nurse Banks, don't you have something better to do than to encourage my men to gossip?"

She looked at me like I had just slapped her across the face. "Excuse me?"

"They seemed to be enjoying your company and your conversation a little too much," I pointed out.

Her mouth fell agape. She blinked before saying, "Just so you are aware, Lieutenant, I wasn't 'gossiping' with your soldiers. They asked me a question and I replied."

"If that is true," I began. "Why were they laughing?"

She didn't falter. "They made a joke."

"But you didn't find it funny," I remarked. It wasn't a question, but a fact. I could tell that she hadn't found amusement in whatever had been said about me. I wondered why.

She shook her head slightly. "No, I didn't."

"What was the joke?" I asked, eyeing her for a moment.

She exhaled sharply, clearly not wanting to be put in the middle of this. She tried to walk by me. "I have to get back to my unit before they move out." I grabbed her upper arm, stopping her in her tracks. My grip wasn't tight, but she had glanced down at my hold before looking back up to me. "Please let go of me."

"I expect an answer, Nurse Banks," I told her, voice lowering into a whisper.

I released her arm as she turned to face me. She crossed her arms across her chest stubbornly. "I don't think you should know."

"Why is that?" I asked, both amused and frustrated by her sudden strength.

"Because it was a private conversation between me and your men," she stated. "If they wanted to tell you what the joke was, they would have shared it with you, but they didn't because you're scary!"

I smirked. "I'm scary?"

She sighed, lowering her arms from her chest. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" I asked her, motioning with my arm for her to walk.

We started to head towards her men. She asked, "Is the rumor about you true?"

"What rumor?" I asked, avoiding her gaze. I wasn't sure which rumor she was referring to. I hadn't personally heard anything about me, but I knew something was being said based on how everyone had been whispering about me behind my back.

She hesitated before asking, "Did you really kill a group of German POWs?"

I stopped a bit away from her unit. I could see their concerned gazes on us as I turned to look at her. She held my gaze, whispering, "Is it true?"

A large part of me felt almost betrayed by those around me. The more that I thought about the rumor, the more I realized that I could play this into my favor. The men were clearly terrified of me. If they were that afraid of me, perhaps this would be the way to demand respect - they wouldn't question my authority moving forward.

It pained me that she seemed to question the rumors, but believed it enough to ask me directly if there were any truth behind it. I realized that it pained me to think that she would view me differently moving forward if I answered truthfully.

I blinked at her, keeping my face void of emotion as I asked, "What do you think?"

I brushed by her before allowing her to answer. Part of me realized that she had already made her own assumptions about me and the rumors that were going around. It didn't matter what I said about them. Everyone had a story or an opinion - those that weren't even there to see what took place, let alone the order that I had been given.

Would she even understand the difficult position that I had been put in when Major Strayer gave me that order? Would she forgive me for following through with said order? Would it even matter to her or to anyone if I explained that I ordered other men to pull the trigger? I felt like I had suddenly become a monster in her eyes and there'd be no recovery from that.

I decided that if I had become a monster from the moment we jumped into occupied territory, then that's what I would become. I would be her monster and if Private Webster still lived, he could be her hero.


	7. Sleepless

After walking away from Nurse Banks, my Company had moved out towards Ste. Come-du-Mont to assist in the assault there. The Company marched out quickly, arriving in good time to our location.

Captain Gross ordered us to apply pressure to the Germans holding the area. It had become a situation of a simple exchange of firepower. It filtered through our line that Regiment wanted us to halt our assault for reasons unknown to us.

"Hold your fire!" the orders wafted down to me.

I turned to the men near me. "Hold fire!"

One of the Sergeants near me continued to fire his gun at the enemy, disobeying direct orders. I could see Gross making his way over to us. I kicked the man in the leg, hard. "I said hold your fire!"

The man turned his attention to me. I could see it written all over his face. He was drunk. "I think we should rush out there, sir! We can take them by surprise!"

"We're holding fire, Sergeant! Those are your orders!" I hissed at him. I could see the men around us were staring at the scene as it unfolded. I couldn't blame them.

The man continued to fire upon the enemy line. I kicked him again. "Hold your fire!" I shouted. "If you are unable to perform your duties, you will remove yourself from the line and sit in the rear!"

The drunk Sergeant stood up. He reminded me of Jefferson. I hardened my gaze as I stared at him. "Be very careful with what you're about to do," I warned. I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously. I recognized that look in his eyes; he wanted blood - and it didn't seem to matter who's blood it was.

The man leveled his gun at me. I made the split-second decision to fire my weapon at him. The Sergeant crumpled to the ground, no longer a threat to the men, to the mission, - to me. I stared down at the man who cradled his wound.

I kept my composure calm as I turned to the men in the immediate area. "Anyone else want to question my authority?" I asked. When no one spoke up, I repeated the original order, "Hold your fire."

Gross approached me. "What the hell happened?"

I glanced over at the wounded Sergeant. "I had to make a hard decision," I told him. "He was ready to shoot me, so I did what needed to be done." I pointed to the man and ordered two others, "Get him out of here."

The men nodded and quickly headed to fulfill the order.

"You're saying you shot your own Sergeant in self-defense?" Gross asked, still trying to understand what took place.

I nodded calmly. "That's exactly what happened."

Gross tore his gaze off of me and turned to the men near us. He pointed to one of them. "You," he said. "What happened?"

The man explained the situation, exactly as I had informed him of the incident. Gross nodded along until the end of the report. He turned to me. "It certainly sounds like justifiable self-defense," he said. "I'll have to put in the incident with Regiment though. There's no saying what they will want to do about it."

"Then I'll deal with it then," I remarked. There would be little that I could do about it in our current standing.

"They could send you home, Ron," Gross told me.

I turned to face him again, expression hardened. "Then I'll deal with it when that time comes."

He sighed, giving up as he walked away from me. It didn't matter how many times he told me, it simply wouldn't change what happened. If Regiment decided that even though all the evidence supported the fact that it had been done in self-defense and they still wanted to send me home after all of the fuss, then that would be on them. There'd be little that I could do. I did what I had to do at that moment.

I recounted that moment in my head over and over again that evening. I had little choice in the matter. That Sergeant saw to that. I couldn't help but see Sergeant Jefferson's face every time I closed my eyes and thought over the shooting this Sergeant. I didn't even know his name, but my brain kept pulling me back to Jefferson.

I sighed, standing up and pacing the line. There was nothing else I could do but wait until the incident was followed up on. I had only one regret as I thought over the potential of being sent home: she'd still be here.

Early the next morning, we made our assault to take over Ste. Come-du-Mont. The push into town was easy since most of the enemy had abandoned the place. Those who remained decided to put up one hell of a fight. It took us approximately an hour to secure the place.

When it was all over and done with, we regrouped as we waited for orders. I scanned the men who had gathered around. We were missing quite a few.

"Sir?" a voice spoke behind me.

"What is it, Private?" I asked, glancing over at him.

"You'll want to see this, sir," the man replied.

I followed him over to the Regimental officers who had come to take over the town. One of them turned to me. "I'm letting you know, Lieutenant," he began. "Captain Jerre Gross was killed in action during this assault."

I blinked at the statement. I had just spoken to him and now he was dead. "That's most unfortunate, sir," I replied. Gross was a good man. He should have been one of those men to survive the war - but then again, war didn't care if you were a good man or not - it took whomever it wanted.

"We're going to send in a replacement officer when we can," the man stated. "Until then, the responsibilities fall onto your shoulders."

"Yes sir," I said. He saluted me, which I returned before falling back in line with the men.

Hearing about Gross's death, put things into perspective for me. He hadn't had the chance to file the incident with anyone. I wondered if the incident would be forgotten or if they would continue to pursue it. I had no idea what to expect moving forward, but for now, I was safe - as safe as one could be in the middle of a warzone.

We were ordered to rest while we could. We watched as more and more men had started to filter in. They had been scattered all over the place. Some of the Airborne men had been picked up by those on the beach and brought in.

Fox and Easy Company had strolled into the square, looking a little worse for wear. They were given the same orders Dog had been given: rest while you can.

From my secluded spot near the buildings, my eyes landed on Nurse Banks. She scanned the area, clearly looking for someone. Movement behind her had caught my attention. My jaw tightened when I watched her jump into the arms of Webster.

I shook my head, reminding myself that he belonged with her. I had to remind myself that we were at war and that I was already a dead man walking. I exhaled sharply, letting go of all of my hopes for this world. It would be easier this way.

I pushed myself away from the building I was leaning on and made my way towards the Regimental officers to get our new orders.

I joined the rest of them just as the officers began explaining the news. "Carentan is just as important to them as it is for us," one of the officers explained. "We need to secure it, hold it for the possible attacks that will follow. Once it's secured, the boys on the beach are cleared to press forward." He turned to eye the men around him. "Easy Company will be taking point with this one. Companies F and D will accompany and assist." His eyes scanned the group again. "Questions?"

No one spoke up. We were dismissed shortly after that. I watched as Welsh headed to inform Easy Company of the mission. I marched towards my men to fill them in as well which didn't take long. They were well rested and ready to see some more action.

That evening, Fox Company led the march towards Carentan with Easy following, leaving Dog to pull up the rear. For whatever reason, the officers of Fox Company had forgotten their night training. We had run into several bogs that were difficult to navigate and push through the overgrown flora. Once Fox Company broke through the flora, they continued on their route, completely forgetting that the rest of us had to get through.

Each time Easy Company managed to get through the marshes, they waited for Dog Company to break through, but we'd have to sit tight while we sent scouts on ahead to locate Fox. I was getting angrier by the minute. It wasn't just stupid but reckless.

We set up our lines, waiting for the scouts to return. Somewhere in the distance, the Germans began to fire in our direction. It became obvious that they were testing the waters to see how big of a group we were. We chose to ignore their warning shots, but someone from Easy Company had set up their BAR, loaded it which echoed loudly throughout the silent night.

I listened, waiting for the next move from the Germans. Nothing happened. Inwardly, I chuckled thinking to myself that the Germans must have heard the gun loading and decided that they didn't want anything to do with us.

As I paced the line, making sure the men were prepared, I glanced in the general area of Easy Company. I couldn't make out anyone from those sitting in cover, but somewhere over there, I knew Miss Banks sat among them.

A few hours later, we were moving onwards to Carentan. Most of the men didn't sleep and it showed. When we arrived to the outskirts of town, Major Strayer appeared to speak to the officers of each Company.

Our orders would be to wait in reserves as Easy Company moved in to secure the town of Carentan. I didn't like that plan, but we had our orders.

I informed the men. I could see some sighing in relief, while others were frustrated that we seemed to always take a backseat whenever Easy Company was around.

I paced the line, hoping that whatever happened, Miss Banks wasn't off doing something reckless like she was known to do. I had several hours on my hands with nothing to do but pace and worry.

The battle raged on, overwhelming our hearing. We could hear the orders being shouted, the guns sounding, the artillery decimating the town as Easy Company charged in.

I turned my gaze towards Strayer who sat safely up on a hill watching through a pair of binoculars alongside a few other Battalion officers. I wanted him to look my way - give me the order to take my men and provide assistance to Easy Company. I wanted to do what I was brought here to do.

But he never did. We remained where we were.

In the late afternoon, the battle had ended. We were allowed to enter into the town of Carentan and begin setting up for the counterattack that we suspected would be coming. I ordered the men to begin setting up and preparing themselves.

I knew that I would need to check in with Strayer and the other officers once everything had been staged for the counterattack. I inspected my men's work before making my way towards the makeshift med station.

I rounded the corner and spotted Nurse Banks bumping into Strayer and Nixon. They exchanged quick words before they entered the building. I came walking up behind her. She stepped back and I didn't have a chance to get out of the way.

As she tripped over my boot, I felt her slipping and reached out to steady her. She proclaimed, "I'm sorry! I'm such a klutz today!"

Her back was against my chest, wisps of her brown hair tickled my nose allowing me to catch wind of her scent. Despite not having showered in days, she still smelled slightly of honeysuckles.

For a brief moment, my voice caught in my throat as I sighed, "You should be more careful." I released my hold on her and she whirled around to meet my gaze.

She studied my face, clearly searching for something, but I kept my expression void of anything. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. I didn't see you."

I smirked. "Hard to see someone when you're walking backward."

She bit her lip. "I'm sorry."

I glanced down at her lip. She quickly stopped biting it which brought a small smile to my lips. She was learning. Instead of saying anything more, she quickly brushed by me to return to the men. I kept my eyes on her for a moment longer before turning and entering the med station.

"Speirs," Strayer called out to me upon my entrance. "Are your men prepared?"

I nodded once. "Yes, sir."  
"Good," Strayer replied. "Hold your positions. Under no circumstances are you allowed to let those Krauts retake this town."

All of us nodded, understanding the importance of this mission before heading out to return to our men.

When I exited the med station, my eyes drifted over to the place where Nurse Banks and Webster were sitting. I gritted my teeth.

Before I had the chance to get back to my men, some of the Easy Company soldiers were sitting on the steps to the med station, eating and talking about what they thought the war would hold for them.

"Enjoy it while it lasts," I told them. "We'll be moving out soon." Every one of those men glanced up at me in stunned silence. I eyed each man.

"Out of town, Lieutenant?" one of them asked.

"That's right," I replied simply, holding the man's gaze. He clearly seemed upset over the news. Memories of the Sergeant I had to shoot came rushing back.

"Don't they know we're just getting settled here?" the same man asked, tone behind his words.

I narrowed my eyes at him before marching away from him. I wasn't about to get into a battle with yet another man - from a different unit at that. As I walked away, I could hear their hushed conversations - I knew it was about me.

Battalion would be holding the town itself while Companies E, D, and F were to set up in the outskirts of town. Dog Company had already dug out some trenches in nearby hedgerows just in time for a massive storm to roll in.

The men were jumpy as we waited and while I couldn't blame them, I found myself somewhat frustrated too. I couldn't put my finger as to why. Maybe it had something to do with the Germans' singing happily from their hedgerow. I walked the lines, keeping the men in check and making sure none of them wandered too far.

I heard calls for a medic coming from Easy's line. I made my way over as quietly as I could. When I arrived, I watched as their medic began patching up Talbert. One of the Easy men had become frightened and bayoneted Talbert.

Sighing, I took my leave once I knew for certain that everything was under control. I didn't get far when I noticed another man from Easy nervously walking the line. The last thing we needed was another accident like Talbert. I aptly removed my cricket and gave three clicks.

The man instantly searched in a panic to find his cricket. I shook my head, stepping out towards him. "Flash!"

"Thunder," the man said quietly. He shouted a bit louder as he whirled around, "Thunder!" He blinked at me. "Lieutenant Speirs, sir."

I stood before him for a moment, eyeing him carefully. "Where you going, Private?"

The man turned to look towards the line where Talbert had been crying out. "To check out the noise, sir."

"I just came from there," I admitted. "They got everything under control." I motioned to the man to start back towards his foxhole. I walked with him. "You got some nervous Privates in your Company," I told him.

"We do, sir," the man replied quietly. He reminded me of Nurse Banks with his timidness. "That we do, I can vouch for that."

We arrived at the foxhole and upon peering inside, I spotted another one of their men asleep inside. I blinked at him. "They just don't see how simple it is."

Confused, the man turned to me and asked, "How simple what is, sir?"

"Just do what you have to do," I explained.

"Like you did on D-Day, sir?" the man asked. He was clearly referring to the POW incident. The man jumped into his foxhole, stirring his friend awake. I decided that I wouldn't comment on that and turned to leave.

The Private stopped me. "Lieutenant?" I stopped, looking down at him. He continued, "Sir when I landed on D-Day, I found myself in a ditch all by myself." The man blinked back some tears of embarrassment as he admitted, "I fell asleep. I think it was those air sickness pills they gave us...when I woke up, I really didn't try to find my unit to fight...I just- I just sort of stayed put."

I could tell that this confession was eating this kid up inside. Why he chose to confide in me, I'll never know. I knelt down to speak to him. "What's your name, trooper?"

"Blithe, sir," he said. "Albert Blithe."

"You know why you hid in that ditch, Blithe?" I asked, voice growing dark.

Blithe blinked up at me, eyes still wet with tears. "I was scared," he whispered.

"We're all scared," I told him. "You hid in that ditch because you think there's still hope, but Blithe? The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to function as a soldier's supposed to function: without mercy, without compassion, without remorse." I stood up and added, "All war depends upon it." I nodded once at him before turning and leaving him to think on my words.

I didn't get much farther from his foxhole when I noticed Nurse Banks slipping in the mud, falling forward. She struggled to get up. Shaking my head in annoyance, I walked over and grabbed her arms roughly, pulling her out of the mud. I set her back down on solid ground.

I whirled her around. My eyes scanned down the length of her. She was soaked in mud from her chest to her boots. "What are you doing?" I growled at her.

She bit her lip briefly before stammering, "I-I fell-"

"Clearly," I snapped at her. "But what are you doing wandering about the line? Didn't you learn the last time?" My grip on her arms remained.

She blinked at me, still trying to recover. "I-I couldn't sleep...I was just-"

I cut her off. "Just what, Nurse Banks?"

She stared into my eyes for a moment. Suddenly, she asked, "Who was hit?"

"No one was hit."

"Who needs the medic?"

"Sergeant Talbert was involved in an accident," I said.

She raised an eyebrow at me. "What kind of accident?"

"One of your Privates bayoneted him," I informed her.

"What!?" she gasped, trying to escape from my hold.

I held her in place. "They have all the help they need."

She tried again to back out of my hold, but all she successfully did was slip in the mud again. I steadied her once more, saying, "You should be sitting in your cover, Nurse Banks." I eyed her before adding, "I will escort you back, but you need to stay there."

"If I'm needed-" she tried to say.

I began to pull her towards my line. "You'll stay put as I've ordered," I growled. "Do I make myself clear?"

"I have a job to do, Lieutenant," she retorted. "I don't tell you how to perform your duties-"

"I also don't do foolish things in order to accomplish my job," I replied gruffly. We stopped next to a deep and empty foxhole. I pointed to it. "Get comfortable, Nurse Banks. You're going to be here for a while."

She blinked at the hole in confusion. "Why am I to be in this foxhole?" she asked. "I was over there with Webster." She motioned behind us.

I tensed and she saw it. "You're out of the direct line of fire should something happen," I said, voice deep. "Now, get in."

I hoped that she wouldn't make the connection that I wasn't happy to hear that she had holed up with Webster. I didn't like the idea of her snuggled up against him for warmth. The look on my face must have shown my frustrations because she hopped inside the foxhole without much fight, but refused to sit. I furrowed my brow at her as she gave in to my demands.

"What now?" she asked, clearly annoyed with me.

"Stay down, Nurse Banks," I told her. "I'd rather you weren't in the direct line of sight for the Krauts to shoot and I don't want to order you to stay down again." I forced myself to walk away from her.

As I stormed away from her, I saw some of my men playing cards to pass the time. I marched up to them. "Enjoying yourselves?" I snapped.

Their eyes widened as they watched me. "N-no, sir."

"Put those away!" I growled at them. "Watch the line!"

"Yes sir," they replied, quickly following my orders.

I was angry as I marched the line. The men didn't like me much that night and I heard them whispering that it was all because of Nurse Banks' arrival to our line.


	8. Bad Habits

The next morning, I found myself still pacing the line. The rain had let up in the early morning hours, giving us a break from the weather. As the men readied themselves for the potential fight ahead, many of them took the chance to eat a quick meal.

As I started to make my way back to Nurse Banks' foxhole, bullets began snapping nearby, ricocheting off the trees. "Return fire!" I shouted over the noise.

Men scrambled for cover, following the orders given. We returned fire upon the enemy. The Germans had the higher ground on us, which I knew would be a problem for us.

Someone from within the line shouted, "Tanks!"

My eyes darted along the enemy line. Running along the tree line across from us, I could make out the tops of their tanks, just before they began pushing them up and over the hilltop.

Explosions landed around us as the Germans began lobbing grenades over towards us. I shouted over the noise, "Let them have it! All you've got! Don't hold back!"

And the men didn't hold back. We continued to level their line with our basic firepower, but the tanks started focusing on F Company next to us. The trees were destroyed as the tank bursts cut through the middle of the trunks like water.

The men of F Company began to panic. After a few minutes of dealing with the tanks, they began to retreat. I glared at the retreating men as they ran off the line. No one had given that order. I wondered if they realized the danger they were putting the rest of us in by running off like that.

I turned to my men. "Hold the line!" I stood up, running down the line to make sure the men heard me. "Hold the line!"

"Shit! Fox is retreating!" someone shouted. "We're going to die!"

Another tank blast leveled more trees, this time near our line. I could hear a slight ringing in my ear at how close the blast had been. Scattered muffled voices from behind me were shouting.

Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted my men retreating. "Don't retreat!" I shouted, shaking the ringing from my ears. "Damn it! Get back here!"

I turned my heated gaze back to those that chose to remain where they were. They blinked up at me with fear in their eyes. I couldn't tell if they were more afraid of me or the tanks. I started firing at the enemy, shouting, "Give them hell!"

The men followed the orders, crouching lower into the ground as the tanks continued firing at our position.

Cheers began to make their way down towards us. Looking up the line, I could make out our Armored Division clearing out the major threat for us. All we had to do was take care of the foot soldiers that remained. We made quick work of the situation after that, completely securing the fields around Carentan.

I turned to assess the line. A majority of the men had fled alongside Fox Company. If they didn't like me before now, they would soon learn that I wasn't a man to be trifled with. I balled up my fists as I marched towards the back of the line where the men were returning. I could see Strayer giving them all what for. Instead of getting involved during that lecture, I decided to check the rest of the line and assess the situation before speaking with Strayer.

My eyes landed on the devastation around us. It was a lot worse than I had expected, but that didn't excuse the men's behaviors. Most of the trees were missing the center of the trunks, suspended by supporting branches of the canopy. The ground was littered with bark shards, blood, smoke, and other debris.

I lifted my eyes to see Winters speaking with Nurse Banks. I approached them. "Lieutenant Winters," I said.

"Ah, Lieutenant Speirs," he replied, smiling kindly at me. "Thank you for sticking around."

Nurse Banks slowly turned around, almost afraid of meeting my gaze. I didn't look at her but kept my focus on Winters. "I'm sorry that my men took off. I know that Battalion gave them hell, but they have no idea what's coming from me," I told him. "They should never have retreated like that without just cause."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Nurse Banks biting her lip, but she remained silent.

"I've heard that both Fox and Dog Companies were given a stern lecture about what happened," Winters admitted.

I nodded, unwilling to let it go. "As I've said, they don't realize what is in store for them next." I was also angry that they abandoned Nurse Banks during that attack. They left her alone while the battle raged on around her. Given that she had some fresh blood on her jacket told me that she had crawled out against my orders to help someone, which didn't help my darkening mood.

"Just go easy on them, Ron," Winters said, patting my shoulder before he took his leave.

Nurse Banks shifted uncomfortably in her place, almost unsure about what to do. I turned my gaze over to her and asked, "How's our medic, Nurse Banks?"

She continued to bit her lip. "He might be heading home."

I looked at her lips. "Thank you for taking care of my men."

She blinked at me in surprise. "You're welcome."

I closed the gap between us and spoke softly yet sternly, "You're lucky you weren't killed today."

She swallowed nervously, taking a step backward. "I did my job, Lieutenant."

I followed her. "You were reckless."

She went to take another step backward, but there had been a foxhole there instead. Her eyes widened in fear as the realization struck her that she was falling backward. Quickly, I reached out, grasping her wrist and pulling her towards me.

She crashed into my chest. I could feel her heart beating rapidly against me. She tried to pull away from me, but I held her firmly against me. "You need to be more aware of your surroundings," I whispered into her ear. "And stop being so reckless." My nose was filled with undertones of smoke and honeysuckles again. Selfishly, I didn't want to let her go, but I had to.

I released my hold on her and walked away from her. I wanted nothing more than to stay frozen at that moment in time with her and breathe her in, but I had to put distance between us. That was the only logical thing left to do.

I neared Strayer and listened to him inform me of the lecture he had just given my men. My eyes drifted over to see Nurse Banks sitting and speaking with Webster. I tensed, gritting my teeth.

As if I needed any more proof to the point that she and Webster were an item. Despite the words that she told him on the train that day long ago, her actions dictated her desire to be with him. It didn't matter how many times I saved her, not just from the men or the enemy, but from herself, she would always run back to him.

That evening, all the Companies had returned to Carentan. The locals that had remained in town during all of this had opened up their shops to the men, bringing out food and drink to show their appreciation.

After having a few hours to myself, I had calmed down a little bit over the events that transpired on the outskirts of town. I had come to realize that Nurse Banks had a point: she had a job to do and because of her bravery, our medic would still live - even though he was being sent home.

I decided that I would seek her out and apologize. It was the least that I could do. I knew when I was at fault and this was one of those moments.

I spotted her sitting down, writing in her notebook. I paused to watch her. She was so lost in thought over what she was writing that she hadn't noticed my approach. Her lips would twitch as she wrote. It brought a small smile to my lips as I took in the endearing qualities of her that most wouldn't even see.

As she started to put her book away, I said, "Nurse Banks."

She glanced over to meet my gaze. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant?"

I took a step towards her as she stood up. "I'm checking up on the men," I said. Inwardly, I was kicking myself for not being honest.

"Really?" she asked. "Lieutenant Welsh just did that."

I didn't blink at the comment. "And?"

"I'm fine?" she said, voice laced with confusion. "Thanks for asking?"

She started to walk away, but I followed her, asking, "What is it that you write about?"

She lifted her dark eyes to meet mine. "What?"

"What do you write about, Nurse Banks?" I repeated.

"Letters, mostly-" she started to say.

I cut her off. "Yes, I figured as much, but what's in your letters?" I asked. I didn't know why I cared so much, but part of me wondered if she wrote about Webster to Darla. I wondered if she wrote about me.

She furrowed her brows at me. "Why do you want to know?"

"You have this thing that you do when you write your letters," I started. "To Darla, I assume?"

We stopped walking as she turned to look at me. "What is it that I do?"

I forced myself to keep from smiling at her. "You purse your lips together, almost as if you're thinking too hard."

"I do not," she said quickly. I raised an eyebrow at her in amusement. She added, almost embarrassed, "You made that up!"

I inhaled deeply, unable to stop my next question from escaping my lips, "What's going on with you and Webster?"

She blinked at me several times, taken aback. "What?"

I realized that I didn't want to know the question. I shouldn't have asked it. I turned and started to walk away from her. This was a mistake. I heard her following me.

"What is your problem with him?" she asked, walking closely behind me. I could hear the anger forming behind her voice.

"You're upset," I pointed out, glancing over my shoulder at her.

"I'm getting there, sure!" she started. "Why do you hate him?"  
I chuckled. "I don't hate him." It was the truth. I didn't hate Webster, but I envied him. There was no denying how much I envied that man and I had never felt that way about someone else in my entire life.

She stopped. "You're the most...the most..."

I stopped and turned to face her. "The most what?"

She had balled her hands into fists. "The most exasperating man I've ever met!"

I scoffed. "You're naive, Nurse Banks," I told her. "You may think that, but you don't know me." I turned to leave her again, but I heard her boots falling into step with mine.

"Why do you tease me?" she asked. "Why do you tell me that you don't harass me when you clearly do?"

I turned abruptly to face her, causing her to crash into me. I glared down at her. "Have you ever thought that I do what I do to toughen you up?"

She spoke in barely a whisper, "Toughen me up? Is that what you're doing?"

I studied her face for a moment. "If you're to survive this war, you need all the help you can get."

"If I recall," she began. "I managed to survive D-Day-"

"I still had to save you," I interjected. "Just as I've done before."

She swallowed before adding, "I stayed in combat when your men ran away-"

I gave her a disapprovingly look. "Which was reckless and stupid."

She chewed on her lip before admitting, "I had another run-in with a German soldier. He was standing as close as you are to me now but he let me go." She held onto my intense stare while I struggled to keep my face void of emotion. "Maybe I'm not so helpless after all."

She didn't give me a chance to reply before turning on her heel and storming away from me. I didn't follow her.

I thought about her words just now. I was furious that she had found herself in a dangerous situation with the enemy. I questioned where the rest of her Company had been during this exchange. I wondered why the enemy had let her go - what did she say or do that warranted her release?

Maybe my thoughts on her were misguided. Maybe she wasn't as weak as I thought her to be. Perhaps she did have a fighting spirit hidden within. She was starting to showcase it to me a little more each time we spoke.

Thinking about the conversation that we had just had, I felt regret. I didn't mean for it to go the way that it did. I truly meant to apologize to her, but instead, my feelings dominated the course and we ended it on a sour note. I wondered if that would seal my fate when it came to her opinion on me.

The next day had been spent marching towards our next stop. Since D-Day, every Company had suffered heavy casualties. Our orders, once we reached the outpost Battalion had secured, would be to have replacements added to our ranks, our supplies refitted, and the men who suffered from illness or wounds to be treated.

The march took the better part of the day and early evening hours, but once we arrived, we had been giving places to sleep. No one complained because it had been a welcome sight to have a roof over our heads once more, even if it was for one night.

Word had trickled down through the ranks that Colonel Sink and General Bradley were expecting all of the men to attend a ceremony to award certain men in the Division for their acts of heroism during these beginning days of the war. Everyone had been informed that it would be considered a special occasion, necessary for their dress uniforms. Those who didn't have one were to report to the supply office for a replacement. It seemed there'd be no excuse for the men to skip this ceremony.

As I watched the men file into the building, I scanned the room. I didn't see Nurse Banks among them. Furrowing my brow slightly, I slipped out of the room, heading for her barracks. The last thing she'd need on her plate would be a reprimand from Sink.

I reached her door and knocked on it. I knew she was inside - I could hear her moving about the lit room. When the door opened, she blinked at me in surprise.

"Lieutenant?" she asked.

I eyed her for a moment. Her uniform was filthy, covered in dried mud and blood, sun-worn. Her hair had been braided, but had a couple of leaves or twigs still clinging to the strands - she must have missed them. Overall, she wasn't injured. "Am I interrupting something?" I asked, lifting my eyes back to her brown ones.

"Um...no?" she replied, still confused as to why I was on her front step.

I nodded, still looking at her. "Why are you not dressed for the ceremony?"

She glanced down to take in her dirty appearance. I watched as she pushed her tongue into the side of her cheek quickly before admitting, "I don't have a spare uniform."

The memory of D-Day came rushing back to me. She didn't have anything outside what she had on her because she dumped it all. I felt stupid for not keeping that fact in my mind. "You dumped all of your belongings on D-Day," I recalled.

She nodded. "Yes, sir."  
I nodded once before beckoning her forward. "Follow me."

She furrowed her brow at me, tilting her head slightly. She didn't budge from her spot. I wasn't sure if she was wondering why I wanted her to follow me or if she was afraid to.

I stopped and said, "Come on. Let's go."

"Go where?" she asked.

I raised my eyebrows at her, staring at her in disbelief. "Must I order you to follow me?"

She sighed heavily, closing the door to her barracks before falling in step with me. We walked in silence towards the building that had been set up for resupply.

I approached the sentries that had been ordered to guard the supplies. Saluting them, I said, "I've got a nurse here in need of resupply." The men nodded, stepping aside for our entrance. I turned to Nurse Banks, motioning her to follow me as I opened the door.

We crossed the threshold, entering the building. At the far end of the room sat tables of supplies. I extended my arm out before us. "Have your pick, Nurse Banks."

She glanced over at me. "Where'd these come from?"

"They were included in the resupply for the soldiers, such as yourself," I told her. "And those that needed a change of clothes before returning to the line." She gave me a skeptical glance - almost like she didn't believe me. I explained, "Many of the men have dysentery, so we had to get fresh clothes in for them to make a quicker recovery before heading back to the lines."

She nodded, finally understanding why we had the extra clothes. "Won't I get into trouble for taking some?" she asked, looking at the freshly laundered clothes.

I shook my head. "I'll make sure we note what you take," I told her. "Grab what you need to resupply your lost kit, too." She fingered one of the uniforms. I swallowed, adding, "I'll wait by the door."

I kept my back to her, giving her privacy when she picked through the supplies. I wasn't sure why, but I felt like she deserved that much. When I heard footsteps approaching me, I turned to face her. Her arms were partially filled with supplies. I glanced down at the paltry amount she chose to take. "Is that all you're taking?"

She glanced down at the items. "Yes..."

"As long as you think that's enough," I said, unconvinced she was taking enough. I scribbled the information onto the list, accounting for everything. When I finished documenting it, we stepped outside of the building, walking back to her barracks.

I realized as we walked that the ceremony had started a while ago. I'd most likely have to make an excuse should it be known that we didn't appear.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Nurse Banks chewing on her lip, clearly lost in thought.

"Old habits die hard, I see," I muttered, keeping my gaze straight.

She glanced at me, releasing her lip. "I guess so," she sighed.

"You're not going to argue with me?" I asked, stunned. This was a first and completely out of character for how she and I usually spoke to one another. I had expected a fight over this, but the reaction she was giving me told me differently.

She shrugged. "Old habit...no reason to fight about it."

I raised an eyebrow at her. I didn't buy it. I studied her face, waiting for her to change her mind. When she didn't say another word on it, I turned my attention back to our path. "You are a mystery to me, Nurse Banks," I said quietly.

"You've said that before," she whispered. "But I don't know why I'd ever be a mystery to you or anyone."

I chose not to comment or explain on the matter. Instead, I asked, "What did you do before the war?" I felt like I needed to know the answer to that question because it might help me better understand who she was and how it shaped her into who she is now. Maybe the answer to why she was a mystery was hidden deep within her past.

She blinked at me. "What?"

"Before your assignment as a field nurse," I began. "What were you doing back home?"

She bit her lip again nervously. Her body language told me that she didn't want to talk about it to anyone - least of all me. I wondered if Darla had been told. I wondered if Darla would tell me if I asked, but I wasn't convinced.

She carefully chose her words. "I moved about a lot."

I narrowed my eyes at her. She was withholding information, but she didn't necessarily lie to me either. She had high walls surrounding her and I knew it would take a while to break them down and get her to trust me. "You're not lying, but I can tell you're holding something back," I pointed out.

We stopped outside her barracks. She asked, "What does it matter? It's the past, isn't it?"

I glanced at my boots for a split second before saying, "It's the past that makes us who we are, Nurse Banks. Maybe by learning your past, I can understand your present."

I decided the best thing to do now was to walk away from her. I didn't want to make her more uncomfortable by forcing her to talk to me about things she had caged within her mind. I would never force her to do something she wasn't willing to do.

As I left her at her barracks, I watched Colonel Sink and General Bradley approaching me. Sink stopped me. "Lieutenant Speirs."

"Sir," I replied, saluting him.

"We noticed your absence at the ceremony," Bradley said. "And that nurse from Easy...what's her name?"

"Banks," I replied. "Yes, sir. Sorry about missing the ceremony, but I had taken it upon myself to track down the nurse."

"What was the hold-up?" Bradley asked. I couldn't tell if he was angry or not. I knew I'd have to tread carefully.

I explained, "She needed to be resupplied. All of her belongings were lost on D-Day, much like some of the men. Once we had gotten her refitted, I learned of a personal matter that prevented her from joining the ceremony."

"What personal matter could she possibly have?" Bradley asked.

I didn't hesitate. "A womanly matter, sir."

Bradley's face twitched at the realization. "Ah," he muttered. "I see." He glanced at Sink awkwardly before saying, "Make sure that everyone - and I mean everyone - joins tomorrow's vigil for the fallen."

"Yes sir," Sink and I both said, saluting him.

Bradley and Sink began walking away from me. Sink winked at me, clearly knowing better at what the situation was, but remained silent on the matter.


	9. War On The Inside

The next morning, the men grumbled as they heard the orders for the attendance for the vigil of the fallen. They didn't want to spend their only day off before heading back to the line honoring the dead.

Despite their grumblings, everyone crammed into the building for Sink to read off names. I stood along the back wall. Out of the corner of my eye, I could spot Nurse Banks wedged between some of the men to my left.

Sink began to quiet the room. He lowered his hands once everyone had quieted down and said, "I want to start off by saying how damned proud of you I am. You're fine soldiers, the best this army has ever seen. I know that this is the last place you want to be on such a fine day as this - listening to me read off a piece of paper, but I commend each and every one of you for showing up and honoring our friends and brothers."

A silence fell on the crowd as Sink continued, "As I read the names today, I want you to remember how brave they were and remember that this is only the beginning. We have suffered the highest casualties since D-Day. I am hoping that by hearing the names of the fallen, we will rise above this and give those Krauts hell!"

Shouts of approval overtook the silence. The men were riled up. Sink started motioning for them to settle down so that he could continue, "There are 414 names on this list...let's begin."

Sink read the names of the fallen in alphabetical order. He would pause very briefly with each name but continued through with no breaks. Whenever a name was read that someone had recognized, gasps could be heard, even the faintest sob from a man who realized that their friend or brother had been killed - and this had been the first they had heard about it.

"Lerner, Oswald," Sink read. A shaky and stunned gasp came from the left side of the room. Sink didn't stop. My eyes drifted over to see Nurse Banks seemingly shaken and panicky. As she pushed her way through the crowds towards the door, I noted her face had drained of all color.

I was about to step outside to check on her when Webster had already exited the building. I gritted my teeth and remained where I was. I recalled that promise I made to myself. Webster was her hero - he was the one who should be out there comforting her.

I couldn't hear the names being read anymore as I started to question why that name triggered such a strong reaction from her. I thought over our past conversations and started piecing a story together.

She had moved about a lot. She said that Montana was the worst place she had ever been in her life...her reaction to the name made me believe that this Lerner had something to do with that. Her walls that she hid behind was a defense - it also explained why she was so meek and timid, always doing the right thing to avoid being in trouble.

Then the conversation on the train echoed through my mind. She had explained to Webster that she didn't think she knew how to love. She told him that she couldn't speak to the other nurses about her past because they wouldn't understand.

I knew at that moment that something horrible had happened to her. Her reaction to that name told me that there had to be more than one Lerner. If it had been just the one, she would have seemed relieved - not panicked.

Webster had reentered the building, slipping into the back row. I remained where I was until the ceremony concluded. The moment it ended, I headed to the place I knew for certain I would find Nurse Banks.

I knocked on her door. "Just a moment!" she shouted within. I could hear shuffling inside before she opened the door. She shifted uncomfortably as she looked at me. "Lieutenant...sir?"

She had been crying, that much was clear to see. She had tried to hide that fact, but her eyes were still glistening in the light. It didn't matter if she had been successful in completely drying her eyes, the emotion that laid behind them gave her secret away.

"What happened this afternoon, Nurse Banks?' I asked, simply.

"I was overwhelmed by the number of dead, sir," she replied. I wondered if this line worked on Webster - and if it did, it made me question his intelligence to believe such a lie.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "And the real reason, Nurse Banks?" I refused to let her get away that easily on this matter.

"That is the real reason," she said, trying to sound convincing, but I knew better.

"Nurse Banks, you're a terrible liar," I pointed out. "Always have been." She opened her mouth to retort, but I cut her off before she had the chance to speak. "Who is Oswald Lerner?"

Just mentioning the man's name had such a hold over her that her own body had betrayed her. She flinched the moment the name was uttered. Everything that I had been thinking about in the ceremony had been true, it seemed. I waited patiently for her to answer.

She collected herself as best as she could before admitting, "He's someone I used to know."

I studied her face before asking, "Is he the reason you moved about a lot?"

She sighed. "One of them."

I nodded slowly, taking in the information that I had guess all along. "How many others are there?"

"Other...reasons?" she asked, confused.

"I assume by your words that he had brothers," I replied, knowingly.

She bit her lip nervously. "Yes," she admitted. "He has...had...brothers."

I waited to see if she was planning on elaborating on the matter - even sharing with me the smallest detail about the man and his brothers, but it became apparent that she wasn't about to. I nodded, turning away from her. I took two steps away from her when I heard her voice stop me.

"That's it?" she asked, surprised.

I turned to look at her. "What did you expect, Nurse Banks?"

She bit her lip again, still showing how confused she was over this exchange. "You usually badger me with questions until you get every detail," she told me. "You usually frustrate me before you leave."

"You want me to frustrate you?" I asked, voice showing some amusement. I didn't need to 'badger' her with questions. I knew enough to piece together a pretty solid picture on the matter. I simply wanted her to tell me for herself, but she didn't trust me yet.

"That's not what I meant!" she rebutted. "I meant-"

I cut her off to keep her from getting more worked up than she was already. "I've gotten everything that I needed to know from you, Nurse Banks," I told her. "Sorry that I didn't...'frustrate' you before leaving."

This time, I turned and walked away from her, forcing myself not to look over my shoulder at her. She didn't stop me either.

I headed back to my barracks. I had a lot of information to mull over. I decided that I needed answers. The sooner that I asked the questions and got confirmation, the better prepared I would be moving forward.

Out of my normal character, I pulled a blank page from the back of a novel that sat on the desk. I grabbed a pencil and started to write.

Nurse Sanderson,

Forgive the possible abruptness behind my letter. I did not plan on actually writing to you, but I fear that I am left with little choice on the matter. You seem to be the only one that can help me. Please note, this letter and any to come after this should be kept between us. Under no circumstances should you notify Nurse Banks about our correspondence. It is her life, after all, that is hanging in the balance.

With that said, I must ask you if she has ever told you of anything regarding her past - her life growing up in Montana - or any other situation that you have regarded as odd. Has she ever mentioned someone by the name of Lerner or his brothers; if so, how many brothers are there and where are they now?

I will explain more to you when I can, but as you can see, I am scribbling this letter to you on the only paper I could find.

Keep this secret. Tell no one. I will look forward to your response.

Regards,

Lt. R. Speirs

I folded the letter sloppily as I tucked it into my breast pocket for safe keeping. I headed out in search of someone who was in charge of correspondence. I spotted Nurse Banks passing a stack of letters off to a man in uniform. I waited until she had disappeared from sight before approaching the man.

"Are you collecting mail for sending?" I asked.

"Yes sir," the Private admitted. "Do you have one you'd like me to take?"

I nodded once, pulling the letter from my coat. "Make sure that it's kept safe."

"Yes sir," the man replied. He saluted me and disappeared from my sights.

All I could do moving forward was wait and hope that Nurse Sanderson would write back to me.

The next morning, the officers had been informed of the latest mission brewing. We gathered early to listen to the details. The longer I sat in on that meeting, the less enthused I became. I had serious doubts about this mission succeeding, but I was a soldier and these were our orders. I remained silent.

Operation Market Garden had been intended to be a daring mission, one that Battalion believed would end the war by Christmas. So far, none of their 'home-before-Christmas missions had succeeded and this one seemed just as unbelievable as the others.

We informed the men shortly after the officers had been informed. Dog Company would be joining Easy Company to secure the town of Son, followed by the city of Eidenhoven, all the while securing the bridges and roads along the way. It was essential for success that we secured the bridges and roads.

At the last minute before climbing into the planes for our jump, we were informed that enemy snipers had plagued the area. They were causing quite a fuss for other units on the ground. It made me angry that they decided to tell us this as we climbed into the plane.

The planes carried us to the drop zone with ease. It felt more like the jumps during training than it did during D-Day. The weather was bright and sunny, not a cloud in sight. When we jumped on the green light, the breeze was minimal and every man drifted gently towards the grassy fields below.

Entering Son had me questioning my original thoughts on this plan. There had been zero resistance in Son. The locals were behaving as though we had already liberated them. They were handing us food, booze, smokes, and offering us comfort. I glared at them, sending the message that I wasn't interested. They didn't need to be told twice.

Winters had sent scouts up ahead to see where the enemy was. So far, our reports on the area hadn't been accurate. There was no one in Son. What else had Intelligence gotten wrong?

Our scouts returned relatively quickly. They informed us that they saw troops nearby at one of the bridges. We knew time was of the essence and rounded up the men. Reluctantly, the men pulled away from their generous hosts and we marched along the road towards the bridges the scouts directed us towards.

Winters had ordered Easy Company to walk along the road, in the ditch while Dog Company took the opposite side. It would provide some cover as we neared the bridge. Whether or not the reports of snipers remained truth or exaggeration, we erred on the side of caution.

Less than a kilometer from the bridge, the enemy opened fire on us. Everyone remained calm and in their cover, providing suppressing fire on the enemy. We needed to get to the bridge to stop them from blowing it up.

I turned to my men. "Get those mortars up!" I ordered. "Give them a distraction!"

The men rushed to perform their duty quickly. They began lobbing mortars over the river towards the enemy. I lifted my hand, ordering them to cease fire. It was quiet. I narrowed my eyes, scanning the area. I didn't see anyone moving across the river, but I couldn't tell if that was because they fled the area or we succeeded in wiping that group out.

We stood up and slowly made our way forward towards the bridge. 25 meters from the entrance to the bridge, it exploded, knocking several of us onto our backs. Debris rained down upon us.

As things started to settle around us, coughing could be heard from the men. They started helping each other up. I glanced down near me to see Nurse Banks rolling onto her back to push herself up to her feet. I reached down, offering my hand to her.

She didn't look up at me as she took my outstretched hand. I pulled her to her feet and it was at that moment, her eyes locked with mine. I studied her quickly and noted that she was fine physically. She bit her lip but said nothing.

I released my hold on her hand and quickly walked passed her, checking on the rest of the men. When I glanced over my shoulder, I spotted Webster checking up on her. I narrowed my eyes at him. I gritted my teeth, turning away so I didn't have to watch the scene unfold.

"We need to get across the river," Winters stated.

I nodded, scanning the area. I wondered if this was a trap that we were about to walk into unknowingly.

A voice spoke behind us, "Sir? I see a boat on the other side. I could swim out to it and bring it back."

I glanced between Winters and this guy. I nodded in approval. "Might be the best plan of action," I stated. "We'd be able to get more men across faster."

Winters nodded, agreeing with what I had said. He turned to the man and said, "Okay, Gordon. Go ahead."

Gordon began stripping his clothes and belongings until he was stark naked. I held his gaze as he admitted, "I'm just so hot, I thought the swim would be nice."

I smirked as I watched him swim across the river towards the boat on the other side. I appreciated his honesty and guts.

Gordon had reached the other side and pulled the boat back across, still swimming the whole way. When he returned, he redressed and gave me a knowing wink that only we knew the truth. I shook my head, a small smile across my face.

We began to cram as many men as we could into the small boat to ferry them across. Within ten minutes, the majority of the two Companies had made it over.

Sink appeared and began discussing the next step with the officers. "Well, those Germans certainly were prepared," he complained. "It's set us back by a good couple of hours."

"Yes sir," Winters acknowledged. "They certainly have."

Sink stated, "We've gotten word from the 4th Armored Division that there is a lot of resistance in Eidenhoven. The Germans have set up 88s and snipers; some of them in town. They've sent some scouts in town but they haven't reported back." He glanced between the officers huddled around him before saying, "I think we should get to the halfway mark and set up shop there."

Winters nodded. "I agree sir," he said. "I'll inform the men."

Winters and I exchanged glances. Both of us knew what the underlying message was here. 4th Armored Division had run into trouble and we should prepare for the worst. The painful part for us had been knowing that this was Nurse Morgan's unit.

Knowing this information, we feared how Nurse Banks would handle the news. After quickly informing my men of the updated plan, I glanced over to Winters as he told his. The moment news reached Nurse Banks, her body betrayed her again. She certainly knew the severity of the situation, and I admired her ability to keep her questions to herself rather than making a scene over it.

We reached the midway point and set up camp for the night. I watched from a distance as Nurse Banks struggled to sleep. I could see her tossing and turning on the ground, no doubt worried sick for Nurse Morgan. The moment I saw her stand up and start walking, I followed her.

She stopped and watched Winters speaking with Nixon, Sink, and other members of Battalion. She seemed almost conflicted on what to do. It became obvious that she needed to talk to someone.

I neared her cautiously and asked, "Nurse Banks?"

She glanced over her shoulder, meeting my gaze. I stopped next to her and asked, "What are you doing?"

She sighed. "I was going to talk with Lieutenant Winters, but he's busy at the moment."

I glanced over to Winters and the other officers briefly, before turning my attention back to her. "What did you need to speak to him about?"

She hesitated before whispering, "I wanted some advice..."

"On what matter?" I asked, still watching her.

She shifted, almost uncomfortably in her place. "I-I was hoping he could tell me about..."

Her voice faded away, almost afraid to finish her thoughts - the very thoughts that I knew plagued her mind. "Nurse Morgan's unit," I offered.

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

I furrowed my brow at her. I felt a twinge of remorse for what she must be going through. She was clearly suffering over this matter, but I forced myself to shake off the thoughts. She needed the opportunity to be weak at this moment. I had to be the strong one for her.

I studied her face, noting her lower lip was bleeding slightly. She had managed to either bite or pick at her lips long enough for it to burst. I asked, "I assume that your worry for your friend is the reason for your bleeding lip?"

She touched her lip, grimacing slightly at the touch, nodding as she sighed. Guilt washed over her face.

This time, I sighed heavily. "Nurse Banks, I'm sure that everything will be fine with your friend," I reassured her. She needed to hear something positive in this moment of darkness and this was the only thing I could think of to say to her.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked, lifting her gaze to meet mine.

"Nurse Morgan had you to look after her for the past several years," I pointed out. "I'm sure she's learned a lot from you."

She smirked, disbelieving. "I wish I had your confidence."

I tilted my head at her, confused. "What do you mean by that, Nurse Banks?"

"Sarah's never been the smartest of the girls," she explained. "Even if she did manage to pick up something from me or any of the other girls, I don't think it would be enough to keep her alive in this war, should she come face to face with a danger like this."

I didn't say anything but simply listened to her words. I mulled over her explanation and realized that if her opinion of her friend was true, then there might not be any hope for Nurse Morgan's survival.

She held my gaze, wondering why I hadn't said anything. She asked, breaking the small silence between us, "What do you think will happen tomorrow?"

It pained me to think that I'd be the one to have to tell her the truth. I wondered if she had spoken with Winters on this matter instead of me if he would have given her some hope - told some kind of sugarcoated statement to lessen the blow. I wondered what I could say that might bring her some kind of comfort.

As I stared into her dark eyes, I realized that I couldn't lie to her. I simply couldn't do that - not to her. She deserved better; she deserved the truth, no matter how difficult it might be to hear.

I said quietly, "I think you should expect the worst."

She shook slightly, whether, from fear or the cold, I couldn't tell. She asked, "What have you heard?"

I shook my head. "I haven't heard anything, but if what you say is true, then you should be prepared for the worst."

She closed her eyes just as tears threatened to fall. My heart ached for her. I couldn't stop myself as I reached forward, placing one of my hands on her cheek. I stepped closer to her, running the pad of my thumb across her trembling lips. When her eyes opened, she held my gaze with an intenseness I hadn't seen behind her eyes yet.

I whispered, "Get some sleep, Miss Banks. It's going to be a long day."

She blinked the tears away as best as she could, but they fell anyway, cascading down her cheeks. I wiped one of them away before removing my hand from her face.

I turned and walked away from her. It pained me to do so, especially when she was clearly in pain, but I had no choice. It wasn't my place. I was already crossing over into the inappropriate territory for having done what I did so far. I couldn't risk doing more.


	10. Bloodshot Eyes

The next morning, we broke camp down and made our way towards the last known location of the 4th Armored Division. Easy Company walked in front of Dog Company, which made it easier for me to keep tabs on Nurse Banks.

I could see even from my place further down the line that she had still been riddled with worry. Her pace seemed quickened for her usual saunter. Webster walked alongside her, clearly trying to slow her down.

As I watched them, I wondered if she had told him yet why she was worried. He didn't behave like he had a clue, and it made me wonder just how oblivious he was to her needs and moods. I didn't see her on a daily basis as he did, yet I could notice them from a mile away.

Our scouts that we sent ahead had ordered us to stop and find cover. I made my way carefully towards the front of the line. Glancing further ahead, I could make out plumes of smoke in the near distance.

I realized that I had given Nurse Banks proper guidance to prepare herself for the worst outcome. Seeing the smoke proved that the worst laid just ahead.

Once the scouts rejoined our ranks, we carefully made our way towards the smoke. It wasn't a long walk to get there. Smoke filled my nostrils as we approached the scene.

"Search for survivors!" an order shouted. The men began to fan out.

I turned to Dog Company. "Provide cover. Keep your eyes open for any signs of the enemy."

The men began to set up for a potential ambush. I turned my attention back to the scene. I watched as Nurse Banks walked further away from the mess. Suddenly, she crumpled into the grass, holding something - someone.

It clicked in my head who it was; Sarah. Gordon had rushed over to her side, collapsing next to her, weeping. I kept my distance from them. They needed the time to mourn her death together.

Instead of approaching them, I turned my attention back to the scene around me. The men were mostly unarmed. They seemed to have been taken by surprise almost. I examined the fields around them. The only thing that looked odd to me had been the way the grass bent in a path leading away from the tanks.

It led to a few feet from where Nurse Banks and Gordon sat. I swallowed hard, gritting my teeth. They had dragged Nurse Morgan there. I wondered if she had struggled against them and they killed her for it. I was still piecing it together when Winters approached me.

"No survivors," he told me. "Looks like an ambush."

I nodded. "I see that too, but where would they set one up?" I asked. I motioned to the fields around us. "Grass isn't deep enough to hide in."

Winters shook his head. "We're trying to figure that part out," he said. "I'm hoping our friends with the Resistance can help fill in the gaps."

My eyes remained locked on Nurse Banks and Gordon. I wondered if they had come to the realization yet or not. I hated feeling like I was the harbinger of bad news.

That evening, Battalion had brought in a truck to load up the deceased to take back with them; Sarah's body was one of the last to be laid inside. Upon a quick examination of her body, I noticed she had been shot in the back three times. It solidified my belief as to what happened to her.

I watched from my spot as Webster tried to comfort Nurse Banks. It surprised me when he got up and walked away from her when it seemed the conversation had ended abruptly. He really was obtuse to leave her alone in her darkest hour of need.

When their conversation ended, she sought Gordon out. They exchanged some words, some tears, and then he handed her a notebook. She cradled it in the same manner that she had with Nurse Morgan's body. When she walked away from Gordon, I realized that the last thing she needed on this night of all nights, was to be left alone. I couldn't understand why none of the other men had reached out to her.

I approached her, determined to be the never-wavering companion she needed. I stopped before her. Her sad eyes lifted from the notebook Gordon gave her to meet my gaze. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant?" she asked, voice cracking slightly.

I shook my head. "Not a thing, Nurse Banks."

She studied my face, searching for a hidden agenda. When she didn't find one, she whispered, "I know you told me to expect the worst, but I think the worst part is the part that isn't obvious."

I closed the gap between us, asking, "What do you mean, Miss Banks?"

"She was dragged there, wasn't she?" she asked, holding my gaze.

I contemplated deflecting her beliefs, but I promised myself to always be the one to tell her the truth, no matter what. I sat next to her, nodding. "Looked that way."

"They were going to take her away...as a prisoner or...something," she mused out loud. "I can't even fathom what..."

"Now you understand why I keep scolding you for wandering the camps by yourself," I told her. I kept my voice calm and void of anger or judgment. This was not the time for lectures.

"She wasn't by herself!" she rebutted. "She had an entire unit-"

I couldn't let her blame herself or wonder about this for longer than necessary. I cut her off. "It was an ambush, Nurse Banks."

Her eyes widened at this admission. She studied my face, hoping that I was lying to her. "Ambush? H-How-"

"Dutch Resistance scouts said that a group of Germans pretended to surrender to the 4th Armored," I told her. "They took them by surprise." I had only been told this information just hours earlier, which confirmed my suspicions on the onset.

"That's why none of them had their weapons on them," she said quietly, piecing together the facts. She closed her eyes, clearly realizing the gravity of the situation.

"From what they tell us," I started. "Your friend was being taken prisoner because she was a woman. When she resisted, they shot her in the back as she ran away."

Even though this had been the official word from the Resistance, I wasn't entirely convinced that this was the full story, but for the moment, it was the only truth to the matter.

She sniffled, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. "Does Gordon know?"

I shook my head. "Only Battalion and you know."

I watched as the tears fell in big drops down her cheeks as she whispered, "Don't tell him...it'd break his heart."

I reached forward and brushed the tears from her cheek. She glanced up to meet my gaze, but I remained silent. It broke my heart to see her in this much pain. And I was powerless to help her.

"Are you going to ask me how I'm doing?" she asked, sniffling again.

I spoke softly, "I'm not going to ask you that. Too many have and will ask that." I held her gaze and said, "I know how you're feeling, Nurse Banks. I don't need to ask such a trivial question." I removed my hand from her cheek and stated, "I came over to tell you the truth and to give you someone to talk to."

"And what if I don't feel like talking?" she asked, turning her gaze away from me to stare into the darkness.

I didn't hesitate. "Then I'm here in case you decide you do."  
I kept my promise by saying nothing to her the rest of the night, but I remained loyally by her side the entire night. I knew she needed someone to look out of her, prove to her that things would be all right in time. She needed someone to protect her while she slept - if she slept. She needed that comfort, that support, and so far, I was the only one who gave her what she desperately needed.

The morning sun rose above the horizon. I turned to meet the tired eyes of Nurse Banks. I nodded to her, silently telling her that I had to leave her now that it was morning. She simply returned the gesture.

I walked away from her and headed towards the officers. I needed to hear the update on the situation moving forward.

"Speirs," Winters called out to me. I stopped next to him. He began, "We have to send a group in to start securing the area." He glanced over his shoulder and asked, "Do you think she's able to join them?"

I turned to look at Nurse Banks. Part of me wanted to tell him no, but as painful as it was for her to suffer such a loss, we still had a job to do. She had to remember that no matter who died, she had to keep her head in the game. It was painful for me to think that way, but I turned to Winters. "I believe so."

Winters nodded and headed over to talk with her on the matter. She didn't seem thrilled to learn about her part in this mission, but Gordon appeared by her side. For once, I was thankful to see someone else stepping up to be some kind of support for her.

The group headed out towards Eidenhoven. We knew snipers were all over the place, but we couldn't tell where they were. My eyes fell upon Lieutenant Brewer who marched erect before the group. I shook my head at his stupidity.

Welsh spat, "Shit! Snipers up on the chimney flashing!"

"How many you got?" I asked quickly.

Welsh lowered the binoculars from his face. "I don't know, I think I saw, maybe four?"

Winters grabbed the radio and began shouting into it, "Get back! Fall back! Fall! Back!"

We watched as Brewer collapsed into the road, then we heard the snap of the shot echoing back towards us. My heart stopped the moment I watched Nurse Banks rushing forward for Brewer. She got men to pull Brewer off to the side near a building, hovering over him, clearly trying to patch him up.

I held my breath as the men around her pulled her away from Brewer. I shook my head, wondering what had gotten into her mind. She was risking her life in a reckless manner. I questioned if she had a death wish now.

Winters turned to the men. "We have to get up there and secure the town," he said, pointing to two different men. "You men take the left flank, you go right." He turned to me and stated, "Up the middle, Ron."

I nodded, relaying the orders for Dog Company. Following the orders, we coordinated the push for the city. Strangely, we didn't meet the same resistance the first group had. It appeared the snipers had fled shortly after the ruckus they caused - most likely heading out to meet up with their unit. I was gearing up for a fight.

I knelt down next to Doc Roe, who started helping Brewer. I was amazed to see that he was still alive. Roe glanced up to meet my surprised gaze and stated, "Emmeline did good work. She saved his life."

I nodded that I heard him, but turned my gaze to the area around me. Distant music began flooding my ears. Cheers and elated screams of joy could be heard over that. I shook my head, wondering why these people thought they were saved when their city still remained under German control.

We entered the main square of Eidenhoven and much like Son, the people had welcomed us with open arms. They offered food and drink, women were throwing themselves at the men and they seemed to enjoy the attention. I kept my expression hard which kept the locals away from me.

Winters, Nixon, and the other officers were speaking with one of the leaders of the Dutch Resistance. I scanned the square and the tops of the buildings. It grated my nerves as I questioned where the enemy had disappeared to.

When my eyes lowered back to the square, they froze on Webster. I glared at him as he welcomed these women into his open arms. I wondered what Nurse Banks would say to his behavior.

The thought of Nurse Banks made me question where she was. I continued scanning the area in search of her. When I spotted her, she was clear on the far side of the square trying to retrieve her helmet from a group of men. I recognized that look in their eyes and knew she was in danger.

I didn't have to push my way across the square to reach her. The locals moved out of my path almost as though they knew that I was on the warpath. The closer I got to them, the more I could see the agitation behind her eyes. I heard her angrily state, "Keep the helmet!"

She tried to walk away from the men, but the seedy looking man grabbed her arm, whirling her back towards him, keeping a tight grip on her.

"Release her!" I shouted at the man. I glared at the men, standing to my full height to show them that I had no qualms taking all of them down if necessary.

The man appeared to be silently gauging my sincerity behind my challenge. Eventually, the man took the helmet and slammed it into her stomach before pushing her towards me. She stumbled backward, nearly falling over.

I caught her before she fell. My eyes remained locked on the men until they disappeared into the wave of locals. Nurse Banks sighed heavily before turning around to look at me. My stern expression remained on my face. I wasn't happy with her either.

"What do you think you're doing?" I hissed at her.

She placed the helmet back on her head. She didn't say anything, didn't even try to defend herself. I shook my head, no longer wanting to have this fight with her. I gripped her wrist tightly as I pulled her through the crowds.

Screaming and sobs echoed around us. I felt her stop me to observe the scene before us. She couldn't tear her eyes from the scene as she whispered, "What's happening? Why are they doing this?"

I replied, "The leader of the Dutch Resistance told us about this. These women slept with the Germans - they've betrayed their people and will be exiled after they're shamed before the city."

"Just the women?" she asked, still watching in horror.

I leaned to whisper into her ear, "The men who collaborated are being shot outside the city as we speak." I felt her shiver at my words. I tugged her along. "Let's go."  
We navigated through the crowded city until we were reunited with the men. Winters had waved me over. I released her wrist, leaving her behind as I approached him.

"We'll need Fox and Dog Companies to remain here to clear the city of the snipers," Winters informed me. "Do you think they can handle that."

"Of course," I told him. I knew this wouldn't be an easy task, but we'd be able to help Fox eliminate the looming threat overhead.

Winters nodded as he continued, "Easy Company has been ordered out towards Nuenen. We've gotten reports of some activity out that way."

I wasn't sure if I'd prefer to stay inside Eidenhoven or heading out to the next city. The men between Fox and Dog seemed eager to remain. I watched as Easy Company made their exit.

The next few hours were spent combing through the city to eliminate the remaining German forces that lingered. The citizens of Eidenhoven had helped, including those in the Resistance.

When we finished combing the city, I asked my men for a casualty report. We had lost five men. As the men rested from their mission, I sought out the leader that had addressed us on our arrival.

"Ah, Lieutenant," he said with a smile and outstretched hand. I shook his hand as he asked, "How can I be of assistance?"

"What news do you have at Nuenen?" I asked, releasing his hand from the handshake.

The man rubbed his chin for a moment before saying, "Our scouts have seen some tanks heading out that way." He saw my face harden and asked, "Are you concerned for your friends?"

"What have you heard?" I asked. He knew more than he was telling me.

"I'm not entirely sure yet," he told me. "But it's going to be bad."

I gritted my teeth. "What's the fastest route there?"

The man smirked as he started to give me directions. I thanked him and marched over to Strayer and Sink. They spotted me coming. "Lieutenant Speirs," Strayer acknowledged.

I stated, "I've been informed that Easy Company is under heavy fire at Nuenen. I'm requesting that Dog Company head out to assist."

Strayer smirked. "Who said that? It's a simple recon mission," he told me. "A walk in the park. There isn't anything to support a possible fight out that way. Relax while you can, Lieutenant."

I jutted my jaw. I contemplated whether or not it was worth risking court-martial by breaking this order to help anyways. Unfortunately, I was stuck idly in the outskirts of Eidenhoven.

We were only there for a day and just as the sun started to rise on a new day, Easy Company returned looking a bit worse for wear.

My nerves relaxed the moment I spotted Nurse Banks among them. Strayer seemed taken aback at the state of them. He approached Winters and asked him for an update.

I followed him to get some kind of order, but Strayer stated, "I want Easy to head back to Eidenhoven and camp out there until further notice. If the Germans are planning a counterattack on the city, we need to be ready for it."

Winters nodded and watched as Strayer marched away, clearly bothered that his earlier mission was a failure.

Winters approached me to fill me in on what had taken place. I also informed him of what the Resistance leader told me. We shook our heads at how naive it seemed Strayer believed this mission to be unfolding. It wasn't unfolding - it was unraveling at the seams.

That evening, I paced our position, checking the lines and making sure the men were prepared. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Nurse Banks entering the med station with Randleman. When they remained inside for a while, I headed over to make sure that everything was all right.

I stopped the moment I heard them talking. I paused at the door, listening in.

"I watched so many girls die by their hands," her voice said on the other side of the door. "I remember running for help, but no one would listen to me... I was locked in the cellar for three days before they let me out again as punishment. I tried to help those girls, but...I failed them..."

I found myself growing rigid as I listened in to what she was saying. Randleman replied, "You were eight, Emmeline. You did the best that you could."

"I feel like I could have done more," she stated. Her voice was laced with so much emotion, I found myself gripping the doorknob tightly. "Regardless of how we were treated, they continued to get girls and money for us to live there. When I was old enough, I ran away. I didn't have anything to take with me, so I just ran. I worked for food and travel to get as far away as possible from those people."

The longer I listened in on their conversation, the more I realized that she was confiding in Randleman about the Lerners. She was telling him what happened back then. I felt like I had been slapped in the face because she felt more at ease telling him over me. I felt like I was on the same level as Webster. It stung to believe that.

I couldn't listen to their conversation any longer. I had enough information to work with. I had to force myself to walk away. She trusted Randleman and I was being forced to accept that.


	11. Divided

The next morning, I was greeted by a Private delivering post. He saluted before handing me a letter. It took me a moment to realize who it was from. Quickly moving away from prying eyes, I opened the letter.

Lieutenant,

To say that I am surprised to receive a letter from you would be a vast understatement, however, I understand why you wrote to me. I will not waste your time with pleasantries and small talk. This seems too important for such things.

Emmeline has loyally written to me, often times I get numerous letters from her at one time. So far, she hadn't said anything to me about her past, until I got your letter. In the letter she sent me around the same time as yours, she shared with me a bit of the scary parts of her past - parts that she never shared with the rest of us in the past. I think that she is truly terrified and is unsure how to navigate through this alone.

In her letter to me, she told me that for the first time since joining the military, she fears that she will not make it home alive - all because she believes these Lerners are looking for her. She told me that the man whose name was mentioned during the vigil had been the less evil of all of the brothers.

She didn't say much after that - frankly, it was such a short letter for her normal ones - but believe me when I tell you that I firmly believe that she is terrified that they know where she is. I've never seen her behave quite like this before. I'm worried about her. Please make sure to watch out for her. I don't know who else to ask. You've always been there for her. Don't deny it, because I know better. I've seen the looks you both give each other when the other isn't looking and I firmly believe that you care for her - it's why you're looking into this matter without her consent.

I will keep my eyes and ears open on my end to find out what I can about these Lerners, but please, do all that you can to protect her on your end. I will write to you again when I have more information to share.

Sincerely yours,

Darla Sanderson

I nodded, tucking the letter into my coat pocket. Nurse Sanderson had all but confirmed what I believed to be going on. Adding that into the mix of what I overheard her telling Randleman, the strong reaction she had at the vigil, and her jumpiness as of late told me the severity of the situation. I had no doubts that Nurse Sanderson would be the perfect ally in this mission. She'd be the only one to help me with this.

I knew that Nurse Banks told her everything - or at least almost everything. If this Lerner situation grew, I knew that Nurse Banks would tell her more. Part of me hoped this would be the case because I'd be able to help her - save her from these dark demons from her past.

Sighing, I walked around the corner. Strayer approached me to tell me my new standing orders. "Speirs," he said, stopping before me. "We've been informed by the Dutch Resistance that the Germans are planning a Panzer attack on Uden-"

"When do we move out?" I asked.

"You don't," he told me. When I tilted my head at him in confusion, he explained, "Dog Company will move out now towards Veghel with Fox in reserve. A small platoon from Easy Company will be heading into Uden while the rest stays behind with Dog and Fox."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why split Easy Company?"

"They've suffered the greatest losses and need a break," Strayer explained simply. "Fox is ready and able to go when the time is right."

I nodded and asked, "When do you want us to move out?"

"Now," he said. I saluted and headed to inform my men.

The march to get to Veghel didn't take very long. We had secured and prepared the town for any potential battle that might take place. We were told that we wouldn't be the target but one could never be too prepared - especially in a war zone.

My eyes lifted as members of Easy Company began to arrive. Nurse Banks was among those staying in Veghel. I appreciated that Winters chose to send her here instead of taking her to Uden for a Panzer attack.

I made my rounds as Easy Company settled into the town. Most of the locals had already fled the town, but a few remained. I spoke with my translator who managed to tell us about the air raid shelters they had built in the houses. They showed us what to look for and I'm grateful they had because I wouldn't have looked twice at the knob on the floor being an access point to a shelter. I ordered the translator to inform the rest of the men about shelters.

I stepped outside, scanning the area. Dog Company had been keeping an eye on the German movements. They could see their approach towards Uden and so far, they kept their course.

A man came running up to me, panic written all over his face. "They're changing course! They're heading this way!" the man shouted so loudly the other men in the square had heard.

Rumbling in the sky could be heard as the Germans flew their planes overhead, firing upon the city. The ground shook violently underneath us, throwing many to their knees.

I shouted, "Find some cover! Get to some cover!" The men didn't need to be told twice and scattered for shelter.

I turned around to head for a shelter when I spotted Nurse Banks stumble and fall in the middle of the square as she tried to run for cover. Instinct came over me and I ran towards her. The second I reached her, I gripped her shoulders, yanking her to her feet. She couldn't get her feet under her properly as I tugged her towards an empty shop.

My eyes scanned the floors as I searched for the hidden knob on the floor. When I found it, I pushed her to her knees, reaching over her shoulder to pull the door open. The moment it opened, she tumbled inside with me jumping in behind her. I slammed the door closed behind us, turning around and lifting her to her feet. I pushed her into the corner of the room.

Her eyes lifted to meet mine. Fear, confusion, panic, and shock overwhelmed her expression. Her mouth was slightly agape, but she couldn't speak.

"What?" I asked her, wondering if she would say something - anything in this moment. When she did nothing more but shake her head at me, I knew just how terrified she was.

As the violent activity increased over our heads, the whole building above us rocked. Dirt fell from between the floorboards above, landing on us. The sounds of explosions and gunfire had increased, drowning out any other sound.

When the building rocked so hard that I thought we were going to be buried underneath the rubble, I grabbed her as she screamed out in fear. I lowered us to the floor in the corner, shielding her with my body. I thought at that moment, should the building come tumbling down on top of us, at least she would be protected - she would have a fighting chance if I took the brunt of the rubble.

I could feel her hands gripping my shirt tightly, forehead pressed into my chest as she shook in my arms. We remained wrapped up in each other's arms for the rest of the night.

Morning came and the world around us had fallen silent. My ears were ringing slightly, thankful for the break in the noises from the night before.

I glanced down to see that Nurse Banks remained asleep in my arms. Her fingers still gripped my shirt tightly, almost as if her life depended on my presence. Her legs were intertwined with mine as we laid on the floor. Her head nestled against the crook of my arm that cradled her. She had fallen asleep only a couple of hours ago and I let her. She needed the rest and I didn't want to wake her. Her hair tickled my nose, allowing me to breathe in the faintest smell of honeysuckles, bringing me back to home where my own mother had honeysuckles growing along the side of her house. I inhaled deeply for a moment, relishing this memory.

I had watched her sleep as I protected her from the world around her. When she started twitching in her sleep, it pained me to see that there would forever be a part of her life that I'd be unable to protect her from. I had to remind myself that she felt comfortable enough with me to fall asleep in my arms, knowing that I'd keep her safe, but even that didn't seem to be enough. Selfishly, I found myself wanting to be more for her and I knew that in all likelihood, that wouldn't be possible.

I forced myself to wake her up, gently shaking her to stir her. Her eyes started to shift under her eyelids before slowly opening. I could see the wheels in her head turning as she started lifting her gaze to meet mine. Her cheeks flushed red as she realized the compromising position we had been in.

She released her hold on me, untangling her body from mine as she started to sit up on the floor. "What happened?" she asked.

I stood up and looked about the small shelter. "It's morning."

She sighed heavily. "Are we okay?"

I shrugged. I didn't know. "The Germans moved away from here a few hours ago. It sounded like they began attacking Uden early this morning."

Her voice spoke in a hushed whisper, "Do you think they are still alive?"

I glanced down at her. I wasn't sure if she meant the men in Uden or those that were here with us in Veghel. I replied, "We have to get out of this shelter and check the lines."

She stood up, asking, "Is it safe?" I turned to hold her worried glance as she continued, "I mean, are we sure the city isn't overrun with Germans?"

I turned my gaze away from her to the door of the shelter. "Only one way to find out."  
I forced myself towards the door and pushed it open slowly. She stood close behind me. Voices echoed nearby. I relaxed a bit when I realized they were speaking English. I forced the door open further, climbing out. I glanced around quickly, noticing our men walking about.

Turning around, I extended my hand down towards Nurse Banks. She grabbed my hand and I lifted her out of the shelter. Her foot caught the frame of the door and came crashing into my arms.

She recoiled from me quickly, almost as though I were made of fire. Her cheeks reddened again as she whispered, "I'm sorry."

I studied her for a moment. I wasn't sure that I understood why she seemed repulsed by my presence all of a sudden. We had spent the entire night wrapped up in each other's arms, but now that we were out, she pushed me away.

I decided to let it go and not dwell on it. If she wanted space from me, I'd give it to her. I led her out of the destroyed building and into the square. The second we stepped out of the building, we were greeted by British officers. One of them approached me, shaking my hand. "You chaps took a nasty beating last night! You're lucky we were able to fight those Krauts off for you."

I wasn't impressed by this man. He had a lot of gall to believe that they single-handedly took care of our problems. I wanted to ask him why they weren't helping our men in Uden, but I thought better of it.

The man turned to Nurse Banks and said, "I hope you weren't too frightened, dearie. We came as fast as we could with our pilots."

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "We appreciate your help."

I narrowed my eyes at the two of them. I decided to nip this in the bud now. "Nurse Banks," I started. "I believe you have work to tend to."

She furrowed her brow at me but didn't argue. She nodded her thanks to the British officer once more as she brushed by us. She didn't turn to look at me as she marched away.

"I'm amazed that none of you had died here," the man stated.

I kept my eyes on Nurse Banks as I listened to the man. She rejoined the men in the square. It was then that I noticed that one of those men had been Webster. He embraced her the moment he saw her. I felt my jaw tighten.

I turned to the British officer and asked, "What news do you have for Uden?"

The man cocked his head to the side. "Uden," he said, blowing a short exhale. "They're taking quite a beating this morning. We've sent some men out that way to assist, but we had no idea they were coming here first."

"Have you gotten word on what the plan is after this?" I asked.

The man shrugged slightly. "If we can regain control of Uden, we will escort your men there to regroup."

"And if we don't?" I pushed.

The man gave me a sympathetic smile. "Then we wait here and figure out what tomorrow brings."

I didn't appreciate his nonchalant behavior over this. We had men in Uden, possibly getting killed, and he seemed content with the status quo.

It wasn't much longer before we had heard cheers erupting among the men. I lifted my eyes to the gates of Veghel to see Winters and his platoon, along with some of the British allies walking into the square. Every man was happy to see the other.

I approached Winters and Nixon. "Glad to see you're both alive."

"Good to be alive," Nixon quipped.

"What happened?" I asked, anxious to hear.

Nixon cleared his throat before saying, "Well, I think it's safe to say that Operation Market Garden was a failure."

I smirked. I had a hard time believing that any sane man believed this plan was a sound one. I also knew that if anyone were to ask the men, no one would say that it had succeeded.

Winters explained that we had succeeded in gaining control of Uden and we were ordered to head there and keep it secured for Battalion's arrival. I groaned inwardly, but nodded and left to gather the men.

The march to Uden was a short one and we arrived by nightfall. The men were happy to rest but felt demoralized at our recent failures. I knew that we would fail again one day, but the men didn't believe it had been possible to fail. Up until now, they felt they were untouchable. This had become a wake-up call for most.

Another Private from Battalion had been making his rounds, passing out some letters to the men. I watched as he passed one off to Nurse Banks. Her eyes lit up happily for the first time in a long while and I knew that it was from Nurse Sanderson.

The Private walked by me and I felt somewhat disappointed that I didn't get a letter also. I had hoped that Nurse Sanderson would have had some progress in the goings-on with the Lerner situation. I also took no news as good news.

Colonel Sink approached me and stated, "I've ordered Easy Company to head out toward Randwijk. We've had reports of the Germans setting up outposts and running patrols to ambush our caravans."

I nodded. "And Dog Company?"

"You'll remain here for the time being," he told me. "Keep this town secured. We're going to have Fox Company in reserve to assist either one of you depending on what happens over the next few days."

I gritted my teeth but nodded that I understood the orders. "Yes, sir."  
He slapped my shoulder. "Relax while you can, Ron," he said with a reassuring smile. "You'll have your time."

During our stay in Uden, I kept myself as busy as I could with my own work. The moments that I had time to think, I found myself wondering if Nurse Banks was all right. Thinking of her had me thinking about her situation with the Lerners.

I reached out to a friend within Battalion, stressing the importance of discretion and asked if he could look into the Lerners for me. I expressed the need for secrecy because it held lives in the balance. Thankfully, my friend in Battalion didn't question me.

The next afternoon, word spread through the ranks that Easy Company had become pinned down by a German raiding party. Fox Company had already moved out to provide assistance.

Colonel Sink approached me, worry on his face. "We might need Dog Company to move out as well," he explained. "We have lost communication with Major Horton and the rest of the CP in Opheusden."

I furrowed my brow at this news. "Should Dog Company head out to Opheusden now, sir?"

He shook his head gravely. "Until we know more on the situation from Easy, we need to err on the side of caution," he explained. "It could be the group they're fighting are the very ones responsible for our communication break with CP."  
My expression hardened as he walked away from me. I hated waiting and I hated being sidelined. If it were up to me, Dog Company would be marching towards Opheusden to find out what happened to the CP.

Thinking over the matter, a pit formed in my stomach as the realization struck me. Nurse Banks' friend, the pretty one they called Charlotte, had been stationed with Major Horton. It pained me to think that she had been caught in the crossfire and didn't survive.

The thought of Nurse Banks losing yet another friend made the ordeal even worse in my mind. She would have no one there for her. I strongly hoped that we would be ordered out soon or at the very least, be told that CP had gone radio silent and that this would all be for naught.

But I had my doubts.


	12. Through Your Falling Tears

As I expected, Sink moved Dog Company to rejoin forces at the new CP. Fox and Easy were already there. When we arrived, the mood in the atmosphere had remained dark.

I was informed by Winters and Nixon how the assault took place the night before. I saw the list of wounded that would be heading back to England. One name stood out to me: Webster.

That familiar pang in my chest came back. That feeling wasn't there because Webster was leaving for a hospital in England - it was there because Nurse Banks had not just lost Charlotte, but Webster all in the same day - all of this on the heels of losing Sarah. I couldn't imagine how she must be feeling.

The other bit of news that I had been given had been that Winters had accepted a promotion which took him away from his men. Taking over Easy Company was a man named, Heyliger. He seemed like a capable man to take over the responsibilities, but I had only just met him. Time would tell if he could fill Winters's shoes or if he would be more like Easy's former COs.

I made my rounds in CP, checking up on the men. I managed to spot Randleman and approached him. "Sergeant Randleman."

He saluted, pulling his cigar stub from his mouth shortly after. "Lieutenant Speirs, sir."  
"How have things been here?" I asked.

His mouth twitched, trying to suppress a smile. He knew what I was asking without having to actually say the words. "She's struggling," he told me. "Losing Charlotte really took a toll on her." He put the stub back into his mouth and said, "Add on the fact that her only other close friend was wounded and left, doesn't leave her much happiness in the days."

I nodded slowly as I listened carefully to what he was telling me. Randleman stated, "Heyliger has been checking up on her, but she's pulled away from a lot of us."

I nodded my thanks to him and started to walk away, but he asked, "Are you going to check on her, sir?" I glanced up to meet his gaze. I know understood why she told him about her past. There was just something about him that made you trust him.

Instead of giving him an answer, I just walked away.

That evening, Easy Company had headed out to help with the rescue of some British soldiers. Nurse Banks had remained behind upon Heyliger's orders. I was already approving of Heyliger in his new position, despite having just entered the role.

The mission to rescue those men didn't take near as long as Battalion had suspected it too. The men had returned and those that were not injured headed over to celebrate inside one of the abandoned buildings. Those injured had gone to the med station where Nurse Banks busied herself.

Since arriving at this post, I had yet to see her leave the med station. I questioned if it was because she needed the space to work through her emotions without interruption or if she truly was pulling away from those that cared for her as Randleman had stated. Until I laid eyes on her myself, I'd never know.

Sink approached me as I started my way towards the med station. I saluted him and he returned the gesture. "Lieutenant," he began. "We've got word on some leads."

He didn't need to continue his explanation. I knew that look he had whenever he got orders for me. I cut him off and asked, "Where are we heading?"

"Mourmelon-le-Grand," he stated. "We're hoping that Dog and Fox Companies can begin securing the roads that way. We're planning on moving CP there once it's secured."

"When are we heading out?" I asked.

"In a couple of hours, I'm afraid," he told me with a sympathetic glance.

I nodded. "Understood, sir. I'll prepare the men."

"Very good," he replied, saluting me once more before walking away from me.

Sighing, I realized that if I was going to see Nurse Banks one last time to say goodbye, I had to do it now. I marched straight to the med station.

As I stepped across the threshold, I spotted her helping one of the British troopers. They hadn't heard me enter yet, so I patiently waited, listening in on their conversation.

"What's your name, love?" he asked her.

She didn't look up from his wound. "Emmeline."

He whispered something under his breath which I couldn't make out from where I stood, but she shifted uncomfortably in her place as she worked.

She asked, "What's your name, soldier?"

"Lowe," he said. "William Lowe."

I could see her bit her lip briefly before saying, "Well, you're good to go, William Lowe. Keep it dry and have your medic change the bandage every day."

He pulled his coat on and asked, "Would you like to join me?"

"Join you?" she asked, confused.

"Across the yard," he said. "The party?"

She offered him a small smile, seemingly forced. "Thank you for the invitation, but I can't."

"I guess it would be pretty inappropriate, wouldn't it?" he replied.

She kept the same forced smile on her face. "I'm sorry, perhaps if it were under different circumstances."

"What if I stayed here?" he asked, almost too eager. "We could talk or-"

I hit the door to let them know that I was standing there. I had had about enough of this man's presence. I was running short on time. I wanted him gone.

Their eyes darted over to me as I glared back. She turned her attention back to Lowe and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm busy, as you can see."

"Never a break for a nurse," he stated. "I understand. Thank you for your kindness, Emmeline." He offered her a half bow before cautiously walking by me. Our eyes met briefly as he slinked by.

She didn't move from her place. "What brings you here, Lieutenant?"

I remained where I was too. "I came to see how you were holding up."  
"In regards to?" she asked.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "You know what."

"I'm fine," she started. "I'm dealing with her death as best as I can."

I slowly made my way towards her. "And how are you handling your distance between you and Private Webster?" I asked. I didn't want to ask because I didn't care about him, but I did care about her. I stopped only a couple of feet away from her.

"Nothing goes unnoticed by you, I see," she mumbled.

I held her gaze. "Not much does," I admitted. "I also noticed that you had started biting your lip earlier when that Brit asked you to the party."

She inhaled deeply before sighing it all out. "Spying on me again?"

"Checking up on you," I corrected her.

She nodded slowly, pretending to understand. "Well then, you should have seen that I declined said invitation."

"I did," I admitted. "And I want to know why." I studied her face.

She blinked at me. "What?"

"Why didn't you go with him?" I asked, voice lowering.

She swallowed nervously. "I had stuff to do."

"Such as?" I pushed. I didn't believe anything she was saying to me at this moment.

She turned away from me. "I have to stay here in case something comes up and they need my help."

I closed the gap between us as she had her back to me. "You're a terrible liar, Miss Banks."

She whirled around, ready to retort, but smacked into my chest. She seemed surprised to see me so close and took a step backward. She bumped into the desk, trapped between us.

"Tell me something, Miss Banks," I began. "Why is it that someone like you always tries to do the right thing - the thing that usually ends up making other people happy? Why do you keep yourself so locked up behind your walls?"

She stared at me. "I don't make other people happy."

I smirked. "Of course you do," I told her. "You have since the day that I met you. Pleasing people, keeping the peace, covering up for those that want to do you harm..." I paused, examining her eyes before asking, "Need I go on?"

"What are you getting at?" she asked me, clearly confused.

"You declined that boy's invitation tonight," I reminded her. "Why?"

"I told you-" she tried to say.

I interrupted her. "You told me what you think I wanted to hear. What's the real reason for declining?"

She didn't turn away from me but held my gaze with an intensity of her own. "I didn't want to get too close."

"Too close?" I repeated. I began to wonder where she was going with this. Who had she become too close with? Me? Webster? The girls?

"Yes," she admitted. "After losing Charlotte and Webster, I-"

I cut her off. I wasn't able to stop myself. "Ah yes, Private Webster," I started. "You never did answer my question about how you're doing without him."

"What do you hate about him?" she asked me, frustrations rising.

For a moment, I felt pangs of regret for saying anything - for even coming to her before I was to head out. I realized that there was little to be done about it now and shook the feeling away. I replied softly, "I don't hate him. I envy him."

The truth of the matter came rolling passed my lips before I had a chance to stop it. I just threw my feelings down at her feet and I wondered how she would treat them.

She looked at me, somewhat confused. "Envy him?" she asked. "Why would you envy anyone, least of all him?"

I realized that she didn't understand the meaning of my words. I couldn't bring myself to delve into this matter further with her. I simply didn't have the time. I started to leave but stopped the moment I felt her hand on my arm. I glanced down at her hold before slipping away from her hold. I crossed the room, stopping at the door. I glanced over my shoulder one last time and said, "Good night, Nurse Banks. Take care of yourself. I hope to see you again."

With that said, I exited the building. Inside, I kicked myself for having handled that goodbye poorly. That was not how I wanted to say goodbye to her. I didn't mean to leave her with so much left unsaid. The last thing I had wanted to do was talk about other people - to start a fight before leaving.

That wasn't the last image of me that I wanted her to remember, yet I found myself realizing that if anything happened to either one of us, all she would remember me as was an ass who bullied her.

Several weeks had gone by. Dog Company had been in the front trying to clear the way to Bastogne. We had some success, but we had a few failures along the way. When they finally pulled us off the line, they informed us that we would be in reserve for a spell while the others headed into the frozen forests surrounding.

As Dog Company entered CP, I found myself being approached by one of Sink's Privates. He handed me a letter, saluted and walked away from me.

Upon examining the envelope, I noted the way the letters were written. It was from Darla; it had to be.

Dear Lieutenant Speirs,

I haven't had much luck in finding out much regarding the Lerners but I have been keeping a sound ear and eye open for any news. No one seems to recognize that name.

How is Emmeline doing? Is she well? I haven't heard from her in a while and I worry. I have received word from Lieutenant Nixon regarding Charlotte's death and I cannot imagine the impact her death must be having on Emmeline. I know that her death has impacted me greatly as well as Anne will most likely when she receives my next.

Please keep an eye on her for me. I worry that she might not do what is best for her. I would feel calmer knowing she has someone like you watching out for her.

I will continue to stay in touch and will notify you the moment I hear anything about the Lerners.

Take care of yourself,

Darla

I folded the letter, releasing a heavy sigh. I understood her desire for me to keep an eye on Miss Banks, but we weren't in the same Company - keeping an eye on her would be damned near impossible at this juncture and our goodbye hadn't ended on great terms.

I placed the folded letter into my breast pocket. I scanned the CP and noted how relieved the men of Dog Company had become as they settled in for the night.

My eyes drifted over to see Colonel Sink and Major Strayer returning from the edges of Bastogne's forest. Sink approached me. "Speirs," he said with a salute. I returned the gesture. "I wanted to give you the heads-up that while you and your men deserve a night of rest, depending on how the next few days unwind, you may find yourselves back on the line."

I nodded curtly. "Understood, sir."

"Easy and Fox Companies have just moved out," he told me. "They have orders to dig in deep on the lines and to hold it from the Germans."

While he was speaking to me, my attention had drifted over to the men who were returning from the lines of Bastogne. They seemed shaken to the core - almost in a daze.

Sink turned and saw what I had been so focused on. He gave a sympathetic nod as he explained, "Poor bastards... they've suffered greatly on the line. Most are what the medics are calling 'shell-shocked'. I'm worried most won't recover quickly enough to return to the lines."

I watched as the men were escorted to the infirmary. I held the same reservations Sink did at the moment. These men wouldn't be sound of mind to return. Not for some time at least. It would be all on Easy and Fox, and potentially Dog Company, to hold the line.

"Find whatever winter clothing you can muster," Sink informed me. "You'll need it." I nodded, saluting as he walked away from me.

I sighed, unsure where I wanted to be. While it was a nice break to sit comfortably behind the lines, I found myself anxious to return to them.

A few days later, I had gotten my wish. Dog Company had been ordered to help fill the gaps in the line along the front. Easy and Fox Companies had informed Sink about the struggles they were facing with the enemy walking into their lines due to the gaps.

Dog Company had dug in deep into the frozen ground and were making the best of a terrible situation. The men hadn't seen much action as we huddled in our foxholes for warmth.

I made an attempt to continue pacing the lines, making sure all was well. Often times, we could hear the men from other Companies taking the brunt of the barrages while we were far enough away to avoid much of the attention. That didn't mean that we didn't have our own set of trouble.

I ordered daily patrols into the forest. I needed to make sure that the enemy hadn't made it by the line. If we were to be flanked, our positions on the line would be compromised.

The men had returned to inform me of their findings with each patrol. Most of the time, no one had discovered much of anything. As the days turned into weeks, much of the same returned to me.

One day, the patrol returned to inform me of a battlefield they had stumbled upon. The men were completely frozen in place. I nodded as they told me the location of the scene, but I put it out of my mind. There had been zero reasons for me to think more on the matter.

The next morning, Easy Company's medic, Doc Roe had found our line. I narrowed my eyes at him as I strode across the snow towards him. "Doc?"

"Sorry to bother you, sir," he began. "I was wondering if you had any supplies I could take from you."

"Such as?" I asked.

He shook from the cold. "Medical supplies...scissors, bandages, morphine."

I nodded as he listed his needs. I turned and pointed to a couple of my guys. "Talk to them. They should have a few to spare."

"Thank you, sir," Roe said, starting to walk away.

I stopped him. "How bad is it on your line?"

His tired eyes lifted to meet mine. "It's been bad, sir."

I nodded, watching him head towards the men I had pointed out to him. I began to wonder how Miss Banks was faring.

After a few minutes, Roe began to head back to his line. I stopped him again. "How're your men faring?"

Roe shook in his place again. "We're struggling to be honest. We've lost a lot of good men."

"And Nurse Banks?" I asked. "Is she proving helpful?"

Roe nodded. "She is," he replied. "She's out right now working behind the lines."  
I narrowed my eyes at him. "What do you mean by that?"

"We found a battlefield of men," he said. "She went out there with a couple of our guys to gather the tags."

I inhaled deeply, nodding as he took his leave. I had recalled the men telling me about the scene earlier in the week. I pointed to a man and stated, "We're going out on a patrol."

The man nodded and followed me into the frozen forest.

The snow fell softly to the earth. All was quiet except for the crunching of snow underneath our boots. A heavy fog started to roll in, creating a screen along the white world around us.

We paused for a moment in our walking as we heard the faint sounds of someone speaking. Quietly and quickly, we followed the voices.

As we neared, I could see Nurse Banks with three other men, one of whom stood quite close to her. I overheard one of them suggest, "What if we headed this way?"

I furrowed my brow at the suggestion. I couldn't tell if he was truly lost or not, but I knew for certain that heading in the suggested direction would be the death of them all.

We marched up to the group as I stated, "Heading that way would get you killed, soldier."

The group's eyes lifted to meet mine. I scanned the group. Out of all of them, Miss Banks seemed disturbed. I kept my face void of emotion as I stared at the group calmly.

I asked, "What are you doing this far from the lines?"

The men standing a few feet away from Nurse Banks stated, "We were ordered by Captain Winters to help Nurse Banks gather the tags of our dead from one of the nearby battles."

I turned my attention back to Nurse Banks. I could see it in her face that she wanted something from me, but seemed afraid to speak up. I approached her and the man standing next to her. I refused to look at the man's face as I kept my eyes trained on hers. "Were you successful in gathering your tags, Nurse Banks?"

I saw her shiver. She started to fumbled about her pack as she stated, "If you'd like to review the names sir, I have them here."

She removed a notebook from her bag, extending it towards me. The look on her face had said it all as I took it from her. She was an easy book to read. I didn't open the book as I held it. I turned my attention to the man standing next to her. I needed confirmation that her behavior was a result of this man - whom I didn't recognize.

"What's your name, soldier?" I asked, face calm and collected.

The man replied, "Lerner, sir." I noticed Nurse Banks bite her lip.

I nodded. "Get her back to the line, Lerner. Make sure she gets warmed up." Her mouth fell agape slightly. She looked betrayed by my order.

"Yes sir," the man replied, a small smile creeping across his lips. "Right away." He started to pull her away from us. As he walked away, I could see the exchange of words between the two of them.

I glanced at the notebook in my hands. A pair of dog tags fell out into my hands. One read, Palmer, Thomas and the other, Lerner, Murray. I had all of the information I needed at that moment to make the snap decision. I passed the book and tags over to my man and unholstered my gun.

"Sir?" one of the Easy Company men asked, shaken up by my actions.

I stated, "He's a spy." I aimed my gun and fired a single shot.

The spy's body crumpled into the snow, pulling Miss Banks with him. I started my approach towards them, the three soldiers behind me as we neared.

As I neared Nurse Banks, she had bolted upright into a seated position, crawling backward as she tried to create distance between her and the dead man that melted the snow with his blood. She backed into my legs, clawing her way to a standing position. Once she was on her shaky legs, she whirled around to embrace me. I could feel her crying into my chest. I grew rigid for a moment, unsure how best to handle this moment, but I had to comfort her. I wrapped my arms around her protectively.

"Lieutenant Speirs? Your orders?" the men beside me asked.

"Strip him," I ordered. "Take everything you can from him, then head back to your line. I'll follow behind with Nurse Banks."

"Yes sir," the men replied, moving forward to follow my orders.

Nurse Banks managed to regain her composure and we started to meander our way back to the lines. I led her towards Dog Company's line, knowing that she'd need a moment to calm down from the events prior.

She asked, breaking the silence, "How did you know? How did you figure it out?"

I glanced at her quickly. "Your notebook."

"My notebook?" she asked, stunned. "But you didn't even look at it."

"It wasn't what was written in the book, Nurse Banks," I told her. "I could see it on your face." I held the book and tags out for her.

She took them from me timidly. "Oh..."

I could tell that she seemed disappointed by my reaction. I added, "Also, the dog tag that fell out into my hand with Lerners' name on it was helpful."

She replaced the items in her bag, but still had a disappointed look on her face. I wondered what she was thinking. She sighed lightly before saying, "Thank you, Lieutenant Speirs. Once again, you've come to my aid. I owe you my life in so many ways."

I narrowed my eyes at her, wondering why she was speaking to me in such a manner. She lifted her dark eyes to meet mine. I replied, "You're welcome."

We stood there staring at one another. She finally asked, breaking the silence again, "What now?"

"I'm bringing you back to the line," I replied.

She bit her lip briefly. "Why have you taken such an interest in me?"

Her words caught me by surprise and stopped me in my tracks. I turned to look at her. I was torn on what I should say or do. Finally, I decided the best thing to do was to maintain that distance I created for her sake. I stated, "I don't have an interest, Nurse Banks." Every fiber inside my being was telling me that I was a liar - I knew I was lying.

She countered, "But you do. If you didn't have some sort of interest in my well-being, you wouldn't have come to my rescue as many times as you have." She must have seen my facial expression falter slightly because she added, "I'm not ungrateful for what you've done for me, but let's be honest here...if it were any other man in the Regiment, they wouldn't have been able to save me from that German spy...they wouldn't have come to get me in Veghel to get me to the shelter."

I turned to address her, but she continued speaking, "No one would have been able to save me from Sobel or Jefferson...none of them would have asked me about the Lerners... but you have. You've comforted me after each incident while maintaining your distance and you've been the only one to stay with me after the death of Sarah-"

She turned her gaze away from me, almost ashamed at how emotional she was becoming. Tears fell from her face. She whispered, "You've done more for me than you realize and I just don't understand-"

At that moment, I couldn't contain myself. Rules and regulations be damned. I closed the gap between us, feeling the need to sweep her up in my embrace, but I stopped in front of her. With a raspy voice, I whispered, "Emmeline." She closed her eyes at my use of her name. Even my heart fluttered at hearing me say it for the first time. I spoke softly, studying every feature of her face. "You're a mystery to me...you always have been," I stated. "Look at me." She opened her eyes to meet mine. Her dark eyes shimmered in the cold world around us. I added, "I maintain my distance for your well-being, just as I save you from situations in which you put yourself into unknowingly. Why does there have to be a reason other than just that?"

She had to know how I felt about her at that moment...I felt that any other person would have known by my actions and my words at this moment. It pained me to be unable to comfort her the way that I knew she desperately needed and craved. I wanted to be that man for her.

She turned her gaze away from me, almost in defeat. I refused to let her do that. I grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at me as I pulled her closer to me. I lowered my face to her ear, feeling the loose strands of her hair tickling my frozen lips as I whispered, "I will always be there for you, Emmeline. Maybe one day, you'll have the answers you are looking for but for now, just leave it be as it is now."

Before we had a chance to say or do anything more, shouts were heard nearby, "Find some cover! Find a foxhole!"

I didn't hesitate at the order. I grabbed her wrist tightly, pulling her towards the line. I could see the explosions landing along the line. The ground shook violently beneath us, causing her to fall. She pulled me down with her as she tumbled. I caught myself before landing fully on her.

The explosions became more frequent and deafening. I bolted to my feet, yanking her to hers as I pulled her towards the first foxhole we could find.

I pushed her to the bottom of the foxhole and lowered myself on top of her, shielding her from the barrage above. The bright blasts illuminated the dark world around us.

I held her terrified gaze. The tears of sadness she had earlier had transformed into ones of fear. I remained as calm and collected to keep her reassured, but I was just as scared as she was. I feared for her life.

An explosion landed close to us, spraying hot earth over us. I could feel it burning the back of my neck, but I spotted some on her face. I quickly brushed the clumps off her face before taking care of my neck.

The smoke began to overwhelm our senses. She began coughing on it. I saw the look on her face - it was one that I had become familiar with as the war continued on. It was one of those 'I don't want to die' looks. I couldn't hold it against her.

The second the barrage stopped, I didn't hesitate. I hopped out of the foxhole to assess the lines. I needed to know how bad we had been hit. I hoped that she would remain in the foxhole, but I had a job to do first and foremost.

As I ran, I stumbled upon a scene of one of the men being obliterated by the barrage. Blood soaked the snow in a mass puddle. There was nothing left. I ran by it, searching for my Sergeants.

When I found one, I asked, "What's the word?"

They filled me in. The German forces had attacked the entire line simultaneously. They believed that Easy Company had taken the brunt of the attack, but we had still taken a devastating blow.

"Are the medics back yet?" I questioned. The Sergeant shook his head. I gritted my teeth. We had been without a real medic for a while. Battalion claimed they would be sending us a replacement, but we had yet to receive one. They stated that we hadn't suffered nearly enough to need one. The men who stepped up to take on the responsibilities were managing just fine.

I headed along the line, checking the men and ordering them to stay in their foxholes. Whenever I found one of our 'medics', I asked them to head out to check the wounded. Reluctantly, they left to fulfill my orders.

Along the way, I sent the wounded to the back of the line in hopes that Nurse Banks remained and would help with the wounded. Turned out that she had stuck around.

Once the damage had been assessed, I headed to the back of the line. I paused as I witnessed Nurse Banks arguing with one of my men.

"He's dying!" the man spat at her. "You have men sitting here who need that morphine more than he does!"

She removed the wrap around the man's head who laid by her feet. She pointed to his head as she stood up. "Maybe you'd like to have a hole in your skull! Maybe then you'd like some morphine for your fucking pain! Even if he is dying, he doesn't deserve to suffer any more than he already is!"

I smirked at her strength and courage to take on a group of men, some twice her size. She had changed quite a bit over these past few months.

Before I could watch the scene unfold any more, another one of my Sergeants approached me. "Jeeps are coming to take the wounded to Bastogne."

I nodded and asked, "Any word on Easy Company?"

The man shook his head. "Not yet."

I got wrapped up in dealing with the aftermath of the barrage that I almost forgot that Nurse Banks remained on our line. When I recalled her presence, I knew that I'd have to escort her back to her own Company. They'd need her help.

I finished giving my men orders, explaining that I'd be escorting Nurse Banks back to her line before turning to find her.

To my genuine surprise, she remained at the back of the line. As I approached her, I scanned the length of her, checking for any obvious wounds. "Are you all right?"

She nodded, standing up to her feet. "I'm fine, but I need to return to my Company. If it was bad on this end of the line, I worry that it's worse back there."  
I nodded in agreement. "I'll escort you back."

She hesitated. "That's not necessary," she began. "You're busy and you have a lot to do here. I can-"

I cut her off. "I have given orders to my men. They can handle things here. I'll escort you back."

She sighed, finally allowing me to escort her. She approached me, ready to head back when I stopped her. Her face had smeared smoke and blood all over it.

I removed a handkerchief from my pocket, extending it towards her. She furrowed her brows at it in confusion. I explained, "You have blood all over your face. You might startle some of your men if they see you in the state that you're in."

She took the cloth from me, wiping her face. The blood had come off, but the dirty streaks remained. She tried to hand it back to me. I shook my head. "Keep it."

"Thank you," she muttered, seemingly confused. She tucked it into her coat pocket before following me through the frozen forest.

We walked in silence for a few minutes before the faint sounds of planes could be heard overhead. The two of us paused long enough to glance up at the gray sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of them.

I spotted the faint outline of one of the planes as they broke through the heavy cloud cover. I pointed up at it. "Looks like it's our men."  
"What do you think they're doing out here?" she asked, peering up at the sky next to me.

I glanced down at her. "Dropping supplies at Bastogne, I'm guessing." I studied her face as she kept her gaze to the sky. "Let's go."  
She tore her dark eyes from the sky, looking at me as I started to walk away from her. I could hear her walking behind me as her footsteps crunched in the snow.

"I want to thank you for taking care of my men," I told her, keeping the silence at bay.

"I'm just doing my job as you are," she replied, almost stating facts.

I glanced over at my shoulder at her. She seemed to be withdrawing from me and I didn't like it. "I saw what happened back there."

Her eyes lifted to meet mine again. "When?"

"You stood your ground and confronted several men at once," I reminded her. "Quite angrily, I might add." A small smirk began forming on my lips, letting her know that I wasn't angry with her but amused.

She sighed heavily. "They had it coming."

I raised an eyebrow at her. I could tell by her sigh that she thought she was in trouble. "Did they now?" I asked. I stopped and turned to look her in the eyes. Surprisingly, she stood her ground, holding my gaze.

"Yes," she began. "They're all very stubborn and selfish." She blinked at me, still standing tall. "Kind of like you."

It took all of my will to keep from laughing out loud. The smirk continued to grow on my face. "I'm stubborn and selfish?" I asked.

"Yes, you are," she replied, surprisingly calm.

Once again, I was impressed by her strength. I smiled at her. "I didn't think you had it in you, Nurse Banks."

Her face faltered at my use of her title. She looked almost pained that I had said it. She asked, "Didn't think I had what?"

"A backbone," I told her. "I never thought I'd live to see the day that you would stand up for yourself. I'm impressed." I chuckled to try and ease the tension that had suddenly grown between us.

I could still see the pain behind her eyes as she stared back at me. It broke my heart a little to think that I had caused this pain by bringing this up. I turned away from her and continued walking through the forest.

She followed me in silence again.

I mused out loud, "Do you think you'll still have that backbone and courage to stand up for yourself when you run into the Lerner boys?"

Her footsteps halted. Her voice was small as she asked, "What?"

I stopped and turned to face her again. "Aside from the two you know are dead," I began. "Have you heard from any of the others?"

She shrugged. "The spy mentioned that his outfit had a Lerner who was looking for me but who's to say that it's the truth?" she started. "What about you? Have you heard anything?"

I didn't want to tell her about what I did or didn't know. I couldn't bring myself to do that just yet. Instead, I let my filters turn off and regretted my words as I asked, "Do you think you'll be able to stand up to them on your own when your paths do cross?"

"What do you know?" she begged.

I saw the fear behind her eyes. All that strength she had moments ago had vanished. My filters had completely crumbled away as I continued, "I wonder what it would be like to see you stand up to them, given what little I know about your past but I suspect that you're going to revert back into that meek mouse-"

I couldn't get the rest of my goading out before she closed the gap between us, slapping me hard across my face. The cold had amplified the blow on my cheek. I could feel the sting growing as she spat at me, "How dare you! How dare you speak to me that way! After everything I've been through! You don't know me!"

I saw her lifting her hand to strike me again but I was faster. I grabbed both of her wrists, pulling her close to me. She fell against my chest, struggling against my hold. I whispered calmly, "No one knows who you are or what you've been through because you never speak of it. But you've told Sergeant Randleman a little bit and I know that you've told Darla a little as well."

I realized that I had slipped by telling her that I knew that she had confided in them. The look on her face told me that she had heard my confession.

She glared up at me, anger washing over her features. "How do you know that I've told them?"

I ignored her and continued, "I am curious as to why you've never told Private Webster about your past. He seems quite smitten with you." Against my will, my body went rigid by the mention of Webster. I forced myself to continued, "I would have thought if anyone knew the whole story, it would be him. I wonder why you haven't mentioned anything to him."

Her eyes turned away from me as she stated, "He wouldn't understand."

"You mean that you don't think he would look at you the same way?" I asked. "Or that he'd be unable to protect you while he's sitting in that hospital? Maybe you think that once this war is all over, he'll still be there waiting for you to decide what you want."  
She bit her lip. I could see the tears forming behind her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "No one understands what I've been through," she whispered.

"I do," I whispered back. I studied her face, her eyes.

"How-" she started to ask.

I cut her off. "I looked into them," I confessed. "After the ceremony we attended for the fallen, and after seeing your strong reaction to the name, I knew that something terrible had to have happened to you regarding them and when I overheard you speaking to Sergeant Randleman about your past, I knew what to expect."

"You were eavesdropping?" she asked, stunned.

"It wasn't planned," I admitted. "But yes. I heard what was said, just like I heard the conversation between you and Private Webster that day on the train."

Her eyes darted back and forth as she thought back on that day. The moment she recalled that conversation, she glanced back up to meet my gaze. "How did you hear that conversation?"

"Funny thing about trains," I started. "You sit behind people without them ever seeing your face. Close quarters and all of that."

I could see her cheeks flush. I could almost see her distancing herself from me. I couldn't bear that thought. "You say that you don't love Webster but you seem to have strong feelings for him," I pointed out.

Her sadness had grown apparent on her face as she said, "I don't love him the way he wants me to love him. He deserves more than I could ever give him."

Without hesitation, I told her, "No one could deserve better than you, Emmeline."

She blinked at me, staring deep into my eyes. My heart raced, pounding hard into my chest, almost as though it had been trying to escape my ribcage.

I lowered my gaze to her frozen lips. She had started to part them to respond, but at this moment, I had lost my ability to control myself. I released my grip on her wrists, bringing my hands up to her cheeks, cupping her face. I pulled her towards me, crashing my lips onto hers hard.

The world slowed to a stop. Nothing else mattered to me at this moment. I didn't care that we were still in occupied territory, some distance from the line. At this moment, the only thing that mattered was her.

Her lips were surprisingly warm. I felt with each brush of our lips, the more life had come back to my frozen self. That feeling of being home had become overwhelming to me and I found myself in need of more.

Somewhere deep in my mind, I had realized that I couldn't continue on. I forced myself away from her as painful as it was to do it.

I lowered my hands from her face as she blinked at me a few times. Before she had a chance to say anything, I interjected, "Let's get you back to your company."

I turned and began my walk through the snow. When I didn't hear her following me, I stopped and turned to look at her. She still stood in her place, staring at me. The confusion and mix of emotions remained on her face. I asked, "Are you coming, Nurse Banks?"

She sighed heavily as she stomped through the snow towards me. I could see the disappointment in her movements. It mirrored mine.

It wasn't much longer before we had reached her line. I turned my gaze back to her but she avoided looking at me. It felt like she had just ripped my heart out of my chest as she brushed by me without a second glance.

I stood motionless for a moment as I watched her take her leave of me. I shook my head as I turned and headed towards CP.


	13. Life On The Edge

The next morning, I headed towards CP. I spotted Winters and Nixon discussing our new orders.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the driver of the Jeep speaking with Nurse Banks. Her body language changed instantly. She seemed on edge around that man and I studied their interactions from my spot.

Her eyes lifted to meet mine. I furrowed my brow at her as I neared her, closing the gap between us. When I reached her, I remained silent as I grabbed her upper arm and pulled her away from any listening ears. The moment we were alone, I asked, "What is it?"

She blinked up at me. "I uh...need to get a letter to Darla."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Why didn't you give it to the driver?" I wondered if my instincts were true and she knew that man or at the very least, sensed that something was amiss.

She replied, "Something about him makes me nervous." Before I could reply, she added, "This is a very important letter that I don't want to hand over to someone who might give it to the wrong person or-"

She didn't have to finish her thoughts, I knew what she meant. "What's the letter about, Miss Banks?" I asked, hoping she'd finally confide in me. She sighed, closing her eyes as though pained. I couldn't force her to say the painful words of whatever was plaguing her mind. I offered, "It's about the Lerners, isn't it?" Her eyes flew open, holding my worried gaze. She nodded. I asked, "What's happened?"

Her voice shook as she admitted, "I just got word from Darla that Anne has been approached by one of them...she's befriended him and has been telling him about me and my whereabouts. If they know where I am then it's only a matter of time before they find me."

I held her gaze, concern mirroring hers. I forced myself to keep my composure as I asked, "What did you tell Darla in your letter?"

"I fear that if they find out that I know they are talking to Anne, she may be in danger," she told me quietly. "I don't want Darla telling Anne to stop treating him the way she always has. If they suspect that she's telling Darla, who's telling me about their conversations, both of them will be in danger - I can't let that happen! I can't let them hurt those around me!"

I asked, "Do you still have that letter?" She nodded and I held my hand out, palm up, waiting for her to give me the letter.

She stared at my open hand for a moment before asking, "What are you going to do?"

"I'll take care of it," I told her.

She furrowed her brow, still unwilling to fully trust me. "What are you going to do?"

"I'll take care of it," I repeated. She handed me the letter and I tucked it inside my coat pocket. "Have you told anyone else about this?" She shook her head and I added, "Don't. Just go about your day just as you would normally." I could see the doubt and fear creep across her face again. I whispered, "I'll handle it."

I watched as all of her doubts regarding me had washed away. She nodded, finally trusting me. I nodded once more and turned away from her.

When I reached CP, I was approached by a Private. "Sir?" the man began. "I have a couple of letters for you."

I took the extended letters from him. "Thank you."

I continued to my foxhole and opened the first letter. It was from Nurse Sanderson.

Lieutenant Speirs,

I have the most troubling news to share. I have just received word from Anne - she was the one placed with the Seaborne. She wrote to me the other day to inform me that she has met a new replacement and has become friends with him. He is one of the Lerner brothers!

Oh, to think of the dangers that Anne could be in! What should I do? Should I warn her?

I have written to Emmeline at the same time as I am writing to you. I have told her that there is a Lerner with Anne but I have not told her that I'm keeping you abreast of the situation. She has no knowledge.

What do I do? Is Anne in grave danger? I am sorry for being so panicked but I simply do not know how dangerous these men are! Should I be on the lookout for one that might target me?

Please tell me that you are safe and that Emmeline is as well? It has been a little while since I have gotten word. I do hope that this letter will force both of you to reply swiftly now that Anne is involved.

Sincerely yours,

D. Sanderson

I found my fingers gripping the page tightly. I realized that there seemed to be no limit when it came to the Lerners. They seemed hell-bent on finding Nurse Banks.

I turned my attention back to the other letter. This one came from my friend in Battalion. I quickly unfolded the paper and scanned through the message.

Sir,

I have discovered a bit of information that you have requested days past.

As you believed, there is one of those men serving in Battalion. Robert. He has been inspecting mail very carefully for some of the men. I do not believe he has discovered your nurse as of yet but that is only a matter of time.  
Depending on how things progress on the line, will depend on what Battalion plans on doing moving forward. I will warn you that Robert does have eyes and ears everywhere, including the drivers coming from CP. Just be aware of your surroundings and those coming to the line. You haven't told me much but I know you well enough to know that caution is key.

As for the others, I can confirm that one has been placed as a replacement to the Seaborne Division - I do not know which Company - however they do have a nurse there. I am still working on tracking down the others.

Good luck.

I folded the paper, tucking it into my coat pocket. As I suspected, there were spies coming to the lines. I worried that Nurse Banks might not stay hidden for much longer. It was a matter of time before she had become fully discovered and Robert would make his appearance.

I removed the small pencil from my pocket and wrote in the small space untouched from Nurse Sanderson's letter. I told her to keep her head down, not to let anyone - including Anne - know that anything was amiss. I told her to keep me up to date, but I had more information coming directly from Battalion. I reassured her that I was handling things as I could from my end. I also told her that I included the letter Nurse Banks had written to her, hidden inside mine. I didn't have to explain to her the reasoning behind that - I knew that Darla was smart enough to figure it out for herself.

I folded the pages carefully before handing it over to the Private who delivered my letters. He took it and headed off the line.

I headed over to where I had spotted Nixon and Winters. Their eyes lifted to see my approach. "Lieutenant Speirs," Winters acknowledged. "How are things on the line?"

"We've been hit pretty hard," I admitted. "Much like Easy Company."

Winters nodded, head hanging heavily. "Well, unfortunately, it's about to get worse." I waited as he continued, "Easy Company will be heading out to our old position overlooking Foy. Dog Company will be pulling in behind."

"When do we move out?" I asked. I wasn't looking forward to having to carry out these orders but orders were orders. I didn't have to like them to follow them.

"This afternoon," Nixon stated, glancing down at his notes. "We don't know yet how long we will be in place. Battalion is hoping to take control of Foy."

I nodded slowly, taking in the information as they gave it to me. It was apparent that none of us were thrilled, but none of us would argue. I turned and headed back to my line to update the men on their new standing orders.

The next few days were spent moving from our spot in the line to the new location. We hadn't seen much activity as we made the move.

Eventually, word came back to us a couple of days later that Easy Company had been hit hard again during the barrages. They had lost several more men.

Even though I didn't personally know the men by name - at least not all of them - I did recognize the names of those that had died. When I was informed that Compton had been pulled from the lines due to shellshock, I felt overwhelmed. Easy Company seemed to be dropping like flies and my thoughts remained on Nurse Banks.

This would become the moment of truth for her, I feared. If she couldn't survive the trials of this war in this frozen wasteland, she would be pulled from the line and possibly sent home. I knew that if that happened, there'd be no way for me to protect her from the Lerners.

The next day, word was sent to me that Dog Company would be joining Colonel Sink and some men from Battalion to the overlook of Foy. They wanted us there in case Easy Company would require assistance in the taking of that small town. I Company was already somewhere nearby waiting for orders. I knew that my men were happy to be sitting this one out.

It wasn't a long hike to get to the line. Dog Company kept its distance from Battalion and Easy Company. Part of me believed that they thought if they had stayed close by, they'd be sent in as well. I scanned the town of Foy from my spot on the hill. It was swarming with Germans.

I turned to one of my men. "Make sure the men are standing by. We might be joining the fray and I want to make sure there are no hesitations moving forward."

"Yes sir," the man replied, turning from me to tell the men my orders.

I turned and my eyes landed on Nurse Banks. She seemed nervous, constantly glancing over her shoulder at the men who had joined Colonel Sink. I slowly meandered over to her.

As I neared, I spoke, "You seem on edge, Nurse Banks."

She whirled around to face me. "Just a little."

I studied her face for a moment before glancing at the men in the Jeeps. None of them were giving her a second thought, which told me that none of them were part of Lerners' scheme. "Who are you looking for?" I asked, knowing the answer already.

She replied, "Lieutenant Dike mentioned a friend of his who works at Battalion."

"One of the Lerners, right?" I asked, hoping that I didn't showcase my cards too quickly.

She nodded. "Robert...the eldest and the worst of the lot." I held her worried gaze as she continued, "If he knows that I'm here, it's only a matter of time before he-"

I cut her off. "Don't worry about him."

She furrowed her brow at me. "What do you mean?"

"Don't worry about the Lerners," I told her confidently.

She blinked at me, unable to believe my words. "How can I not worry about them? If they find me-"

"They won't," I cut her off again. I held her gaze, hoping she could read my hidden message through my eyes.

"What have you done?" she asked. I realized that she could see that I had done something but rather than thinking that I had things working behind the scenes, she seemed to think that I had done something more sinister.

"I'm taking care of it," I told her simply. I walked away from her.

Part of me was upset and angry that she still believed that I would do something so drastic that it would come back around to her and harm her in some way. She simply couldn't fully trust me with this issue. All I wanted her to do was believe that I was looking out for her and her best interest.  
I approached Winters, Sink, Dike, and some of the other officers. The men from Easy were standing by to make their run into Foy. Dike seemed nervous.

It wasn't much longer before they headed out. Winters told Dike to keep them running hard and fast into town, if he didn't, things would take a turn for the worst quickly.

I began my way back to my men just as the men from Easy began their run down the long hill. The Germans didn't hold back. They unloaded all they had onto Easy as they ran down closer to town.

My eyes fixated on Nurse Banks. The fear for her men was apparent. She inched closer and closer towards the edge of the line. I neared her, reaching out and grabbing her wrist, pulling her back.

I didn't release my hold as I turned my gaze to Easy Company. I could see Dike shouting orders for the men to hold.

Standing there, watching the men get killed because of this man caused my blood to boil. I glanced over to Winters and the other officers, wondering how long they would allow him to get away with this. Dike was currently signing the death warrants for those men and unless someone did something about it, this could very well be the end of Easy Company as we knew it.

"Keep moving!" Winters shouted down the hill. "Get him on the radio!"

Nurse Banks turned her attention to Winters. I noticed the fear in her eyes as she turned back to those in the open field.

"Dick! Get back here!" Sink shouted. I turned to see Dick coming back up the line. Sink had continued, "I know you have a commitment to those men-"

Winters turned his gaze to me, ignoring Sink entirely. "Speirs! Get over here!"

I released my hold on Nurse Banks and rushed over to Winters. Before I even reached him, he ordered, "Take control of the Company! Relieve Dike of his command and get that attack moving forward!"

I nodded curtly and took off running without a second thought. I looked forward to giving Dike his orders. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me.

A mortar blast landed a few feet before me as I sailed through the dust cloud it created. On the other side, I spotted the men from Easy surrounding Dike. They were still trying to get him to either press onward or take the radio.

I bent down before him, grabbing him by the collar of his coat. "I'm taking over." Dike didn't even blink at me. He had completely frozen in the face of fear.

I turned my attention over to the man next to him. "First Sergeant Lipton! What have we got?"

Lipton quickly explained, "Sir, most of the Company is spread out here. 1st platoon tried an end around but they're stretched out here. They're pinned down by a sniper." He pointed to one of the buildings in town. "I believe he's in the building with the caved in roof."

I nodded that I understood him. "All right. I want mortars and grenade launchers on that building until it's gone. Once it's gone, I want 1st to go straight in. Forget going around." I turned to the rest. "Everybody else, on me!"

I took off running. I had full confidence in the men to get the orders taken care of. The men ran behind me as the others began to demolish the building the sniper took refuge in.

Once I reached the side of the building on the outskirts of Foy, Lipton was close behind me. Lipton glanced at me. I remained calm. I knew that after all these men had endured, the last thing they needed to see was their CO in a panic.

Lipton knelt down next to me and peered around the corner. I could hear the ricochet off the wall next to him. He pulled back quickly, but the debris still caught him in the face.

"Lipton," I began. I waited before continuing, "What do you see, Lipton?"

Lipton glanced around the corner again. "Armor and infantry...a lot of infantry."

"I Company's supposed to be on the other side of town," I told him. "Do you see any sign of them?"

"No," Lipton replied.

"Radio? Anything?" I asked, still remaining calm.

Lipton scanned the area, shaking his head. "No, sir." He pulled back around and admitted, "Sir, I think they're going to pull back if we don't connect with I...they're going to slip away!"

I could hear the slight panic in his voice. He tried to keep his composure but I knew why he worried about I Company. I decided that there was only one thing left to do.

I nodded once at him. "That's right...Wait here!"

I hopped up to my feet and ran around the corner. I rushed the enemy line by myself, running straight through town. The Germans had no idea what to think as I ran by. They were pointing at me, mouths hanging open, unsure of what to do.

I kept my speed up as I hopped over the barricade to where I Company was supposed to be. The men on the other side were stunned as I knelt beside them. "Who's in charge?"

"That'd be me, sir," the man replied.

"I've got Easy Company on the other side of town, waiting to make the push forward," I told them. "Are you ready?"

"Yes sir," the man replied, blinking his daze away. "Did you run all the way here sir?"

I nodded. "Let's go!" I ordered. I hopped back over the barricade and took off through town once more. This time, the enemy didn't stand there to watch. This time, they opened fire upon me as I ran through town to reconnect with Easy.

I returned to Easy Company unscathed. From that moment forward, the men had restored faith in their Company. They managed to take over Foy, with the help of I Company, relatively smoothly.

Unfortunately, they had lost several men during that assault - mostly thanks to Lieutenant Dike. The men saluted me, thanking me for taking over when I did. I'd simply nod in return.

What they failed to realize was the simple fact that I was following orders. Someone had to do it; it was that easy. It might as well have been me to run through that town and connect with I Company. I knew that not everyone would have done the same but to me, that was what had to be done.

I checked in with the men as we continued cleaning up Foy. Most wore large smiles on their faces, happy that it was over. I knew they were mostly happy that Dike was gone. I turned to see Nurse Banks making her way down the hill towards Foy.

There were reporters from back home on the hill getting their pictures for their papers. They seemed to be enjoying themselves. As I turned my attention back to Nurse Banks, I watched briefly as she checked Lieutenant Dike first. She exchanged some words with him before standing up and leaving him behind.

I turned my attention back to the men around me. Lipton approached me and asked, "What happens now?"

I held his gaze. "We wait for new orders."

"I mean with the Company," Lipton admitted.

I furrowed my brow briefly. "I'm not sure I understand your meaning."

"Who's taking command?" he asked.

I blinked at him. "Winters will have someone fill Dike's shoes soon enough."

"I think I speak for the men when I say that we'd like to have you, sir," Lipton admitted.

I nodded curtly that I heard him. "We all have our orders, Lipton," I told him. "I guess we will have to see what happens."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the reporters asking the men to sing for their cameras. The men obliged. They were happy and no one could tell them not to be. They deserved this moment.

I watched as Nurse Banks finished her conversation with the I Company commander and tried to walk away from the scene. Unfortunately, the reporters stopped her.

"Miss! Miss! Wait a moment!" one shouted after her. When she turned to look at him, I could tell she was annoyed. He didn't notice as he asked, "Would you mind if we got a few shots of you? To show the women back home the tragic circumstances that we are in that we have resorted to bringing our women over to fight our wars?"

I saw Nurse Banks ball her hands into fists. I watched with anticipation that she'd slug him. Instead, she berated him. "How dare you! Both of you! Don't you have any respect? Men are dying here and you want to tell people that things are fine? Things are not fine!"

I quickly walked over to her and grabbed her arm. I pulled her away from the cameras as the reporters laughed at her. I heard one of them shouting after us, "This is great! Keep going! Show us that anger! This is exactly what we need!"

She shouted back, "If anyone doesn't belong here, it's you and your stupid cameras!"

I tugged her around the corner, out of sight of the reporters. I whirled her around to face me. The moment her eyes locked with mine, hers widened. She leaned against the brick wall of the house I pulled her around the corner of.

"That's yet another moment that you've shown a backbone, Nurse Banks," I told her softly. "I'm beginning to believe that you're actually tough." I smirked, letting her know that I was joking.

She sighed heavily, shoulders slumping slightly. "I'm sorry," she started. "It's just incredibly frustrating to watch the stupid things that they are doing just for some good film."

I nodded. "I can't argue with that one but if it helps with the morale back home-"

She cut me off. "Morale back home? What about here? We're telling the men to pretend that everything is fine and showing people back home that war is a pleasant thing...how is that helping anyone?"

I studied her face for a moment, thinking of how to respond to her comment. Before I had a chance to say anything, the snap of a bullet echoed through the air.

Without hesitation, I slipped my arms around Nurse Banks to bring her flush against me as I shielded her from harm. By the time the second shot rang out, I had pulled her to the ground beneath me. I made sure to cover her with my body completely.

My heart raced as I lifted my head slightly to scan the area. There were already a couple of dead men in the square. My eyes drifted over to see Lipton speaking to their man, Shifty. I watched as Lipton took off around the corner where he hid, running straight across the square.

Glancing back over to Shifty, I watched as the kid took aim and fired one shot. Cheers erupted across the courtyard as the men knew that Shifty had taken care of the threat. Lipton reached the house and slid to the ground, breathing hard.

I whispered, "Shifty took care of it. Come on." I pushed myself off of her, pulling her up after me.

She stood before me so closely that I could see the faintest freckles on her face, the length of her lashes, and I could smell that familiar scent of honeysuckles.

Her lips parted slightly as she held my gaze. Seeing her lips open, I forced myself to walk away or else I'd respond to that innocent gesture. I couldn't put her in that position, especially here and now.

I ordered myself not to turn around and look at her. I'd be unable to do what needed to be done if I did. I spotted Winters making his approach. I stopped in front of him.

Winters began, "Lieutenant Dike has been relieved of his command over Easy." I nodded, figuring as much. He continued, "I'd like to ask you if you'd accept the responsibility of becoming Easy Company's commander."

My heart fluttered for a moment. I wasn't concerned about the responsibilities of taking over Easy Company because it was the same thing I had been doing with Dog Company. What concerned me was Nurse Banks. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to maintain the proper distance to do my job but on the other hand, I'd be close by to keep her safe.

Winters waited patiently, clearly understanding that I was thinking it over. I finally nodded. "I'll do what needs to be done."

"I know you will," he told me with a small smile. "I have every faith in you, Ron. So do the men."

"When do you tell them?" I asked.

"Well," he started. "If it's all right with you, I'd like to do it now."

I nodded once, following him back towards the men. We stopped before the men as Winters addressed the gathered men. "I am proud of all of you today. This was not an easy feat. You did well." He scanned the men in the group before announcing, "I have some news and orders for all of you. First, Lieutenant Dike has been relieved of his command over Easy Company."

Winters paused, most likely expected the men to cheer, but respectfully, they didn't. They simply nodded, showing that they were relieved. Winters continued, "Lieutenant Speirs will be the new Company Commander over Easy. Treat him with the same respect as I know you have for everyone."

My eyes scanned the group but they locked on with those familiar dark ones of Miss Banks. She didn't seem surprised in the slightest. I wondered what was going on inside her head by hearing the news.

Winters continued, "Our new standing orders are to hold Foy for a few days until we can get reinforcements in. Foy is as important to the Germans as it is to us. Eisenhower is having trouble mobilizing troops, which is why we led the initial attack here but we will have I and D Companies here to assist. So," he paused to look at the men again. "Until further notice, dig in and ready yourselves to a possible counterattack. We've been informed that the Germans have been gathering forces and moving in this direction. Expect tanks and other heavy artillery."

The looks on the men's faces were similar to defeat. I understood their displeasure. They had just been through the wringer and we were asking them to brace for another experience.

I followed Winters after the announcement, leaving the men to prepare for the possible counterattack. I passed the orders through the ranks, warning the men to stay outside of the buildings until the threat of the counterattack had passed. We didn't want the men to get trapped inside during the barrages.

Winters explained to me the orders that would be coming for Easy in the next few days. Once Foy was secured for good, Easy would be moving out while Companies I and D remained behind to keep control of the town. However, we had gotten word that a German force with fourteen tanks and a full battalion were heading this way. We ordered the men to ration their supplies and food until Foy was ours.

After leaving Winters, it had started to snow. I shook my head at the weather. The men were still unequipped for such a storm. I made my way through the town before my eyes landed on a familiar frame, slumped into a corner.

Nurse Banks had her knees pulled close to her chest for warmth. I approached her as the night hours waned on. I sat down next to her and wrapped my arms around her. I could feel her shaking like a leaf under my hold from the frigid temperatures.

"Why don't you have a blanket?" I asked. I glanced down at her. Her eyes were closed as she leaned her head into my chest.

"I didn't need it as badly as they did," she muttered.

"You need a blanket, Emmeline," I sighed. I glanced down at her again. She seemed to be content in the current position. "What am I going to do with you?" I whispered, leaning my head down onto the top of hers.

I stayed with her that night, shielding her as best as I could from the elements. She drifted off to sleep quickly.


	14. The Response

The next morning, we were attacked by the group we had been warned about. They managed to push 3rd Battalion out of Foy but Easy, Dog, and I Company had succeeded in holding control of Foy. We continued the pressure until the Germans decided they no longer wanted Foy - it simply wasn't worth the trouble.

A couple of days after that attack, Sink had arrived to inform us that we were going to be heading out to secure the town of Recogne. The trouble we would be presented with was the massive amounts of snow we would have to trudge through as well as the Germans having the high ground.

Winters approached me after he finished with Sink. I could see the frustration on his face. "Sink is expecting this assault to commence at noon." I furrowed my brow, which hadn't gone unnoticed by Winters. He nodded that he agreed with my unspoken words. "If I had my way, we would wait until the cover of night but General Taylor, Eisenhower, Sink, and Monty want a show. So, Fox, Dog, and Easy will be heading out at noon."

I nodded that I understood the order. I wasn't thrilled to hear about it but as always, these were our orders and someone had to do it.

I informed the men just before we moved out. As we neared the hill that we'd be making the trek up, I found myself frustrated on the inside. On the outside, I remained calm for the sake of the men.

The snow was deep and there had been zero cover for us to use. We'd be open targets for the Germans to pick off. 2nd Battalion had been ordered to move along a deep shoulder towards the enemy while 1st Battalion had no choice but to take the direct approach up the hill.

The Germans didn't see 2nd as we neared them but they spotted 1st immediately and tore them to shreds. I knew that we had to quicken the pace if any of them were to survive that attack.

We arrived at a small stream that was wide enough to be hopped over. I ordered the men to jump across quickly and quietly. The moment we started hopping over, the enemy opened fire upon us.

"Return fire!" I ordered. "The rest of you, hurry up and get across!"

I watched as Garcia fell into the stream. He scrambled out of the frozen water, completely soaked from head to toe. The freezing temperatures around us had already started to turn him into an ice block.

He started making so much noise as we pushed forward towards a hidden shoulder that I turned to address him. "Lipton, gather the officers quickly," I ordered, stepping a few paces from the men. When they joined me, I told them, "We can't take him with us. He'll alert them of our presence before we get anywhere near."

"What do you want to do?" Lipton asked me, glancing over his shoulder to look at the frozen man.

"We leave him behind," I stated. My eyes landed on Nurse Banks as she tried to help him. "We'll leave Nurse Banks with him."

Lipton nodded. "That makes the most sense."

My eyes drifted over to them again. They were peering across a field nearby to a horse that had been caught in the crossfire. The horse had been severely wounded and was suffering.

"Should I tell them?" Lipton asked, bringing my thoughts back to the present.

I shook my head. "I'll tell them. Someone put that horse out of its misery."

One of the officers withdrew his handgun and headed towards the wounded horse as I turned and approached Garcia and Miss Banks. I bent down next to them. "Both of you are going to stay here," I told them. "It's a safe spot hidden from their range of sight. We'll be back."

I didn't explain the reasoning behind why I was choosing to leave both of them behind. Neither complained but then again, I didn't give them a chance to.

I ordered the rest of the men out. We had a job to do. We pushed our way through the snow towards the enemy. I could spot one of the two German bunkers up ahead. I motioned to the men to split off to flank the bunker's position.

As we drew closer, I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Sir? Looks like they've got an 88 and some panzers."

I nodded. "We need to take the bunker first. Once we succeed there, we can move toward the 88." The men nodded.

We stormed the bunker. We showed no mercy in capturing it. We waited for a moment to allow the other platoon to catch up. During that brief moment of rest, we scoured the inside of the bunker, taking important documents and maps that laid strewn across the tables. I knew that Battalion would want to take a look at them.

I ordered the men to head out for the 88. The Germans had a large group of men guarding the gun. We moved quickly and silently towards the 88. We hadn't been spotted yet. Our other platoon, however, didn't slip by unnoticed.

While the German forces focused their efforts on them, we managed to sneak up onto the 88 with relative ease. The Germans inside whirled around, opening fire upon us. We returned fire - once again, taking zero prisoners.

By the time we had taken control of the 88, our two platoons regrouped. "Sir? Their panzers are beginning to move towards our position."

I could see the fear mounting in the men's eyes. The last thing they wanted to do is take on an entire armored division.

I turned around and looked over the gun. "So, let's take care of that," I said. I pointed to a couple of men. "Get this gun loaded and open fire on them. Take them out."

Their smiles widened. "Yes, sir!"

We watched as they turned the German gun back onto the enemy. It wasn't much longer until the tanks were no longer an issue for us.

We had managed to secure the two German bunkers, take out the panzers, and stopped a combined force of armored and panzer grenadier assaults during our taking of Recogne.

Battalion seemed thrilled to see us in action. They were even more excited that we had succeeded with little casualties. Unfortunately for us, because we had succeeded, they wanted us to move out towards Rachamps.

"So much for relief," someone muttered.

My eyes drifted over to see that Garcia and Miss Banks had rejoined our group now that the battle was over. Garcia looked a little less frozen while Miss Banks seemed a bit dejected about something. I furrowed my brow briefly as I wondered why she had that look on her face.

I wouldn't have the chance to dwell on the matter for long as we were ordered to move out to secure Rachamps. The weather had turned bitter cold - so cold that my bones rattled inside. I kept my face calm and unwavering as I moved out with the men. The sooner we finished this mission, the sooner we could get inside for some warmth.

Surprisingly, taking Rachamps didn't take long at all. Most of the forces that were left behind were wounded from serving on the Russian front. One man, in particular, had lost his eyelids and lips to the cold. That man hadn't been the only one either. It helped put things into perspective to the men that while we had frozen in Bastogne, we didn't suffer nearly as bad as some others had.

That evening, the men gathered in the church where the nuns had assembled their choir to sing for us. While the singing soothed the men, it didn't help our depressed moods as we thought back to all of the men we had lost up until this moment.

As I sat inside the church, I had been handed a letter from my contact in Battalion. I glanced over the details inside. My friend had written to me regarding the Lerner situation. He had taken the initiative to look into the Lerners and discovered that one of them had stayed behind in the States to continue operating this 'wayward home' for girls. He had very little information about the place in his letter, including any details on the brother that stayed behind. He finished his letter to warn me that the Lerner in Battalion was moving out to make his way towards our line.

As I finished scanning the details, I felt eyes on me. I glanced up to see Lipton staring at me. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Lipton replied, still watching me slightly.

I stood up and tucked the letter into my coat pocket. "Well, I'd better get back to Battalion before they disappear." Lipton continued to watch me out of the corner of his eye. Finally having enough, I turned toward him and asked, "You want to ask me, don't you?"

"Ask you what, sir?" he feigned.

"You want to know if they're true or not," I stated, knowing perfectly well that most of the men in Easy wanted to know about the rumors. Lipton would be no exception to this rule. I added, "The stories about me..." I held his stunned gaze as I calmly asked, "Did you ever notice that with stories like that, everyone says they heard it from someone who was there? It's nothing new really. I bet if you went back 2,000 years, you'd hear a couple of Centurions standing around yakking about how Tercius lopped off the heads of some Carthaginian prisoners."

"Well," Lipton began. "Maybe they kept talking about it because they never heard Tercius deny it."

I slung my gun over my shoulder, a small smirk forming across my lips. "Maybe that's because Tertius knew there was some value to the men thinking he was the meanest, toughest son of a bitch in the whole Roman Legion."

We exchanged smiles before I started to make my exit. Lipton's voice stopped me. "Sir?" I turned to face him again. He said, "These men aren't really concerned about the stories. They're just glad to have you as their C.O. They're happy to have a good leader again."

I appreciated what he was trying to do but he failed to acknowledge his importance and I couldn't allow him to do that to himself because he deserved better. "Well, from what I've heard," I began. "They've always had one. I've been told there's always been one man they could count on. Led them into Bois Jacques, held them together when they had the crap shelled out of them in the woods... every day he kept his spirits up, kept the men focused, gave them directions...all things a good combat leader does."

I watched as Lipton's face grew confused as I spoke. It dawned on me that he was oblivious to his own importance. I asked, "You don't have any idea who I'm talking about, do you?"

Lipton simply blinked at me. "No, sir."

I chuckled at his naivety. "Hell, it was you, 1st Sergeant. Ever since Winters made Battalion, you've been the leader of Easy Company." I smiled at his surprised expression before walking by him. I stopped again and glanced over my shoulder, adding, "And you're not going to be 1st Sergeant much longer, 1st Sergeant."

"Sir?" Lipton asked, looking over his shoulder at me.

"Winters put in a battlefield commission and Sink approved it on your behalf," I told him. "You should get the official nod in a few days. Congratulations, Lieutenant."

This time, I smiled, leaving the church and the stunned Lipton behind.

I stepped outside and spotted a familiar frame sitting on the steps. I approached her. "What are you doing out here?"

She glanced up to meet my gaze as I stopped before her. "I needed to think," she admitted.

"And you couldn't do that inside?" I asked, giving her a silent lecture behind my eyes.

"I needed some space," she retorted, standing up beside me. I didn't say anything. I could see that she had something weighing on her mind and wanted to give her the chance to speak up without my badgering.

It wasn't long before she asked, "What happens now?"

I studied her, wondering which part she was questioning. There had been so much that had taken place over the course of several days that I wasn't entirely sure what she was referring to. I hoped that her eyes would give me the answer I was seeking. When I didn't get that answer, I simply kept my answer professional. "We'll be resting here for the night before moving out in the morning."  
She nodded briefly. I could see the fatigue on her face.

"By the way, I delivered your letter to Darla," I told her, trying to bring some happiness to her face. I hoped that by mentioning Darla, it would brighten her mood somehow.

"Are you ever going to tell me what you've done?" she asked.

I shifted in my place. "I'm taking care of it," I said. I saw her face fall with disappointment. I asked, "Why do you need to know?"

"Because it involves me," she retorted. "And frankly, I don't like not knowing what to expect."

I smirked against my better judgment. "Then war must be hell for you." She sighed heavily, clearly frustrated with me. I hadn't meant to frustrate or upset her. Quickly, I added, "I've been doing a lot of searching and digging around in Battalion." I glanced over at her, adding, "Things are going to be taken care of, Emmeline. That's all you need to know right now."

She raised her dark eyes to meet mine. "When will you tell me of your plans?" she asked softly, eyes begging me to include her in my plan.

"When it becomes relevant," I told her. I wanted to protect her from this. I wanted to keep her in the dark for as long as possible. What she didn't know couldn't hurt her...or so I believed.

She swallowed nervously, pain washing over her features as she asked, "What happens when it's too late and you can't save me?"

Those words struck me like a knife. I closed the gap between us. I wanted nothing more than to embrace her, kiss her, comfort her - but now wasn't the time. Instead, I countered, "When have I never been there to save you?"

She stared up at me, trembling slightly. I could see all of her fears behind her eyes - all of them hiding behind the facade she put together in front of the others.

I held her gaze, trying to tell her that things would be all right, that I wouldn't let her down. I leaned forward, brushing my lips lightly over hers. "I'm always there for you," I breathed. "Even when you don't see me."

She closed her eyes, lips parting slightly. I knew that she expected me to kiss her fully but I couldn't. It wasn't that I didn't want to - Lord knew that I wanted to - but I couldn't because of Battalion still being around. I forced myself away from her, leaving her standing there in the cold.

The next morning, we were ordered to Alcase which was 160 miles South of Bastogne. The drive there seemed to take forever. When we arrived, Lipton had been coughing up a lung. I ordered a medic to come and take a look at him. He was diagnosed with a severe case of pneumonia.

Lipton and I were sharing a house for the night. We spent ten minutes fighting over who would be sleeping in the bed. "Take the bedroom," I ordered.

Lipton shook his head. Stubbornly, he replied, "I can't, sir. It wouldn't be right."

"Do I have to order you to take the bed?" I threatened.

"As an enlisted man, I should be the one on the floor in the sleeping bag," Lipton countered.

"You're sick!" I shouted back at him, growing angry over this trivial fight. "Therefore, this conversation is over. Take the bed!"

I heard the floor creak behind me. Nurse Banks stood there, glancing between the two of us wondering what was going on. Frustrated, I approached her and said, "Maybe you can talk some sense into him!"

I stormed out of the room, needing some air. I didn't understand his need to punish himself. It was a bed, for crying out loud. He was sick and needed the rest to recover. I didn't want to order him to do things when I offered to sleep on the floor.

After a few moments to myself, I had calmed down. I turned and headed back inside. As I turned the corner, I bumped into Nurse Banks. "Sorry," she said, trying to walk around me.

I stopped her by asking, "Did you have any success with him?"

She smiled, glancing up at me. "Yes, he's going to take the bed."  
"Good," I replied. "Glad to hear it." She took a step forward towards the door, but I asked, "Have you heard anything from Anne or Darla?"

She turned to face me, her expression serious. "No...why? What have you heard?"

I shook my head, fighting the urge to smile. "Nothing," I admitted. "I was merely trying to start a conversation."

She crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow at me suspiciously. "You? Small talk?"

I shrugged. "If you'd rather I just leave you alone-"

"I didn't say that," she interjected quickly. I held her gaze as she added, "It's just unusual that you would try to small talk anyone, least of all me." She uncrossed her arms, allowing them to fall to her sides.

I smirked. "Perhaps people change, Nurse Banks." She frowned at me. I furrowed my brow as I asked, "What? What's that face for?"

"Why do you do that?" she asked quietly. "Why do you use my name and then revert back to using my title?" I could see the confusion on her face.

I felt guilty for having used her name in the past. I shouldn't have done so. I should have kept my distance and used only her title but I had lost control. "What should I do?" I asked. "I'm an officer, Nurse Banks. I'm not supposed to address you by your first name. I could just call you, 'Banks', I suppose but that doesn't seem very respectful."

She lowered her head, almost as though I had scolded her like a parent would a child. It broke my heart. I stepped forward and added, "If I had my way, I'd call you Emmeline all the time but I can't do that. At least, not now...not at this moment in time."

She sighed, nodding slightly. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I guess I'm just so used to everyone else using my name and hearing it from you those two times...well, I guess... I don't know. It's silly. Forget it. I'm sorry."

She tried to turn away from me but I found myself unable to watch her leave rejected like that. I grabbed her arm, turning her back to face me. I looked down into her dark eyes and whispered, "Emmeline, just be patient a little while longer." She held my stare, unblinking for a moment. I gave her a quick kiss on her forehead, hoping that would be enough.

I released my hold on her and turned away, entering the house once more. I heard the door behind me close as she took her leave.

The next morning, I headed to Battalion before they left. Sink and I discussed Lipton briefly. I mentioned that due to his unwavering dedication to the men, he deserved a battlefield promotion. He agreed without hesitation.

After the short conversation, I turned to leave but a Private stopped me. "Sir? A letter for you."

I took it and scanned the details. My contact inside Battalion had written another warning about Lerner. He had left in the middle of the night with some other officers. He didn't know where Robert Lerner was headed but that I should expect to see him sometime in the future if he was still searching for Nurse Banks. This man was covering his tracks well and that bothered me.

I tucked the letter safely into my coat pocket and headed back to my house. As I entered, I heard laughing in the other room. When I rounded the corner, my eyes landed on Lipton and Nurse Banks.

Rather than focus on their private conversation, I looked at Lipton. "I'm glad you're feeling better," I told him. "I've talked to Sink and put you in for a battlefield promotion, with Winters' approval. You're to head over to talk to Sink when you get a moment."

Lipton smiled wide. "Thank you, sir. That's just...that's..."

I nodded, motioning to the door. I wanted him to leave the room so that I could speak to Nurse Banks alone. "Better get moving, Lip, if you want to catch Sink before he leaves."

Lipton smiled at the two of us before heading out quickly. I glanced over to Nurse Banks. She shifted awkwardly under my gaze before turning to leave. I called out to her, "Wait a moment."

She stopped and turned to face me. I could see the confusion and worry on her face. I didn't want to tell her what I knew - it would instill fear in her and I couldn't bring myself to do that but she deserved to know the truth.

"I've had word from Battalion," I began. I took a deep breath, continuing, "Turns out Robert Lerner is a little more clever than we give him credit for."

Her breath hitched as she asked with a shaky voice, "What does that mean?"

"Turns out Robert has been covering his tracks very well," I told her. "He's quite cunning as you've implied. I'm not sure there will be an easy way to take care of him."

She swallowed, showcasing her nerves. "What happens now?"

I could see that she was trying hard to hide her fears but when it came to the Lerners, she simply couldn't hide it. Her body betrayed her every time.

I held her gaze as she asked, "What do I do? Does he know where I am - how to find me?"

I crossed the room to comfort her. Her panic was already starting to emerge. I wrapped her up in my arms, pulling her close to me. "I'm doing what I can to make sure that he doesn't."

She pushed me away. "You have to tell me what is going on!" she begged. "I can't be strung along with whatever plan you have going on! Clearly, your plan isn't working!"

I narrowed my eyes at her. I understood her anger. I couldn't deny her feelings anymore. "You're right," I told her. "I'm sorry."

She took a step back, clearly not expecting me to say that.

I replied, "I went searching around about the Lerners as I said before. Turns out that you were right. Robert is in Battalion. What I don't understand is why he hasn't made a move towards you yet."

She thought for a moment before suggesting, "Perhaps it's a mind game to him. He knows that I'm on edge, looking over my shoulder, expecting them to jump out of the bushes to come for me. He enjoys my discomfort."

The thought of someone finding enjoyment in torturing her killed me. Anger boiled deep inside my core. I found myself gritting my teeth. She had a point though, despite everything. She knew Lerner better than I did so I had to believe her feelings. "You might be on to something there," I told her. "With him working in Battalion, he has access to finding you easily."

I purposefully omitted my probing within Battalion with the help of my friend. I couldn't tell her that yet.

She blinked at me. "He has found me, hasn't he?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, stunned by her words.

"If we look at the events leading up to this moment," she mused. "They've made their presence known from the start." I held her gaze, unsure that I understood her meaning. She continued, "Think about it. My first realization that they were here was at the ceremony for the fallen, where I first heard about Oswald's death. Wouldn't an order for holding such a ceremony come from Battalion?"

I was impressed by listening to her piece together the workings of Lerner. She certainly knew him like the back of her hand. I kept quiet as she continued.

"There is one who was a replacement in Anne's outfit, right?" she asked, thinking over the details again. "Who else could place men so easily in the one place that would have me fearful for those I care about? Then there was Murray behind the lines in Bastogne..." her voice trailed off.

"Seems that you have him figured out," I told her, nodding my head in agreement with her train of thought.

"I've lived my entire life in fear because of him," she admitted. "I shouldn't be hiding from him anymore."

I smiled at her, proud as a peacock. "You've kept your backbone, Emmeline," I told her. Her eyes met mine and I added, "I'm happy to see that."

Her brows furrowed briefly as she had another thought pop into her mind. "Wait a minute..."

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"That German spy..." she began. "The one you rescued me from...he said there was a Lerner who was looking for me."

Her voice had softened so quietly, I wondered if she thought the walls were listening to our conversation. I stepped closer to her to ease her tension. "So?" I asked, hoping she'd continue.

She swallowed, meeting my gaze again. "Wouldn't Robert be considered a spy, too? Or someone cavorting with one?" she asked. She shook her head slightly, trying to gain control of her thoughts that must have been flying through her head. "I mean, looking at how he has been handling his power in Battalion, he's been placing his brothers in key locations-"

I nodded, stopping her from continuing. "I'll look into it," I told her. She blinked at me, fear still present on her face. "Until then, keep your head down."

She nodded that she understood my order. I brushed the strand of hair that had fallen over her face away. Again, I found myself wanting to comfort her in ways that we couldn't. I forced myself to walk away from her, leaving her alone in the building.

I marched across the yard, determined to track down some paper and a pencil to write to my contact in Battalion. I needed answers and I needed to know the exact whereabouts of Lerner. I couldn't stand seeing her squirm the way that she had been this whole time. I was ready to put a stop to it.

A voice shouted over to me. "Speirs!" I turned and spotted Sink waving me over. I growled inside. I wanted to deal with the Lerner issue but I had a job to do and I couldn't let it be known that I had other matters to attend to.

When I stopped before him, he began, "I have new orders for you and your men." I nodded that I was listening and he continued, "You'll be heading over to Haguenau - a small town that sits on the Moder River just off the Rhine. We'll be parked there for a while until we hear more from the front."

I nodded and asked, "When do we move out?"

"In the morning," he informed me. "Get things in order here. Morning comes fast."

I saluted and turned on my heel to follow the orders. I no longer had the time to write to my contact. Instead, the rest of my day had been spent getting the men in check for our departure towards Haguenau.

As the men began to assemble the next morning, we watched as trucks pulled in. Wounded men had started to return to their units. I scanned the faces as they dispersed for their platoons. I was thankful that I hadn't seen Webster yet.

The ride to Haguenau took the better part of the day. When we entered the small town, we spent days getting ourselves settled in. We were made aware that a small German force occupied the town across the river. So far, neither side crossed over. We both seemed content in being neighborly.

I didn't see much of Nurse Banks during this time. She spent the majority of her days with Doc Roe, helping with the wounded. I made sure to keep an eye on her as best as I could throughout the days just to be aware of her well-being.

We were given permission to use the houses in the town to sleep inside. It helped protect us from most of the elements and it was better than sleeping outside in the cold.

I took one of the men with me as we gathered paper, tape, and candles inside to check out the houses. We found what we felt was probably the perfect house to use. I pointed to the supplies and ordered the man with me to begin taping up the windows.

The owner of the houses continued to yell at me for forcing them out. I had the translator explain that we were using this house and there wasn't much they could do or say to change our minds. What I didn't say was that this house had the perfect sightlines across the Moder River. I needed to have those sightlines to watch the activity on the other side.

The owner's dog continued to bark. The men glanced at me, fearful that we'd be discovered by the damned thing. I pointed to the dog and spoke through gritted teeth, "Shut that mutt up or I will."

I heard the translator inform the owner. The owner didn't listen and continued to fight us on our decision to take over their house. I didn't have to order the men to remove the owners - they did that on their own accord. I think they knew that order was coming next.

Unfortunately, the owner didn't take the dog with them. The dog kept barking, threatening the lives of all of us. I decided that I had had enough and removed my pistol. I unloaded it into that damned mongrel. When I finished, the men stared at me in disbelief, mouths hanging open.

Through gritted teeth again, I glanced at the men, saying, "Get this place in order. Quickly and quietly."

The men's heads bobbed up and down. "Yes, sir."

Sighing, I replaced my gun into the holster and began to help them tape up the windows. One of the men took the dead dog outside and out of our sights. I felt a small pang of regret for killing the dog but if it came down to a choice between the life of the dog or my men, my men were more important.

Battalion had decided to send in shower tents for the men to enjoy as well as a resupply, fresh clothes, and some winter gear. Along with all of the supplies, more men were being brought back. My eyes scanned the group and my eyes halted on a familiar face. It was Webster.

I found my hands balling into fists. I wasn't thrilled to see him. I wondered how Nurse Banks would react to seeing him again. I decided to head towards her house and wait for her to return. When I arrived, I knocked on the door but there was no answer. I let myself in.

"Nurse Banks?" I called out, walking into the sitting room off to the side. No answer.

I heard the sounds of faint footsteps climbing up to the front door. I stopped at the window and peered around the lace curtain. I could see Nurse Banks turning around to look at Private Webster.

He seemed happy to see her again. He seemed surprised that she hadn't jumped into his outstretched arms. He wasn't the only one who was stunned by her behavior.

I heard him ask, "Aren't you happy to see me?"

My eyes darted back to Nurse Banks. She didn't smile nor acknowledge his remark. Instead, she turned and entered the house. My mouth twitched as I watched her close the door and Webster, clearly confused, turned and walked away from the house.

I quietly padded across the room to the front where Nurse Banks pulled away from the curtains. She seemed to be watching Webster from behind her curtain.

I said, "You certainly have a knack of surprising me, Nurse Banks."

She glanced over her shoulder, taken off guard that I stood behind her. She shrugged. "I figured you would have seen that coming."

"See what coming?" I asked. "You giving Private Webster the cold shoulder? No, that wasn't expected."

She inhaled deeply, clearly not in the mood for this conversation. "What can I do for you?"

I shook my head curtly. "Nothing," I said. "Just stopped by to see how you were doing."

She narrowed her eyes at me, clearly seeing through my words. "Checking up on me?" she started. "To see what? To see if I'd throw myself at Webster?"

I chuckled at her tone. She certainly was angry - whether, at me or Webster, I couldn't tell. It was quite possible that she was angry with both of us. I answered honestly, "That may have been one reason, sure."

"What would you have done if I had thrown myself at him?" she countered, arms crossed over her chest.

"I was at least expecting you to hug him or welcome him back as you've done for everyone else," I told her.

"Sorry to disappoint you," she whispered. She brushed by me and closed the door to a bedroom behind me.

I sighed sharply, wondering what was going on in her head. I shook my head and exited her house, closing the door behind me as I left.


	15. Losing Control

That afternoon, after the men had finished with their showers, I ordered the men to leave the area to allow Nurse Banks to have an opportunity to use them. I sent a man to inform her that the tent was all hers.

I kept an eye on the tent to make sure that none of the men would try to sneak a peek while she used the showers. I had already informed the men that any level of disrespect would be severely punished and none of them tempted the order.

When she was finished, she had emerged from the tent, cleaner and seemingly happier to have been allowed the use of the tent. The softer look on her face made me happy.

She stopped briefly, scanning the area. Her eyes locked with Webster. He was smiling at her but once again, she surprised me by walking the opposite direction from him. I furrowed my brow at the interaction. This wasn't the same behavior I had witnessed between the two in the past. I wondered what had changed.

I watched as a different Private began delivering the mail to the men. He handed one off to Nurse Banks before moving on to the other men nearby. She quickly found a place to sit to read her letter. Her lips pursed as she read it in deep concentration. I smirked at how that quirk of hers never faltered.

I headed inside where I knew Winters and Nixon were waiting for me. Once I entered the building, I heard Lipton sniffling and coughing. My eyes darted over to see him sitting on the couch, trying his best to continue his duties.

I sighed, hand on my hip. "You should be resting," I scolded him again.

Lipton shook his head, nose red from his cold. "I want to help."

I rolled my eyes. I didn't want to get into yet another fight with him over this. I turned my attention to Winters and Nixon.

"We'll be going over the river," Nixon informed me. As he began to update me on the mission, I heard footsteps behind us. Every man in the room turned to see who had joined us.

I spotted Nurse Banks halt in her tracks, unsure if she should continue or not. I crossed the room towards her. "Nurse Banks, would you mind talking some sense into him again? He seems to think the couch is a better place for him instead of a bed."

She tilted her head in confusion before nodding and walking over to him.

I rejoined Winters and Nixon in the other room to continue discussing our plans for the patrol. Nixon finished explaining the details as well as the reason for the patrol. By the time our meeting concluded, Nurse Banks had returned from dealing with Lipton.

I looked up from the documents that Nixon left behind for me to look over. "I'm amazed that you were able to convince him to go back there. I've been trying for hours," I told her.

"I didn't realize that there was something I was better at than you," she joked. I raised an amused eyebrow at her but remained silent. She took a step towards the window and asked, "What's going on?"

I walked over to her, stopping behind her to look over her shoulder. The men were assembling for the patrol. "We have a patrol across the river tonight," I replied.

She turned to look at me. "What?"

"Those are our orders," I replied simply.

"Are you leading this?" she asked, voice barely a whisper.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I'm coordinating things from this side." Her face relaxed, nerves washing away from her features. It didn't dawn on me that she was concerned for my well-being until this moment. My face softened as I added, "We will need you to be available should anything go wrong tonight."

"Of course," she replied quickly. "Where do you want me to be?"

Images of her under me in my bed came rushing into the forefront of my mind. I quickly turned away from her so she wouldn't see the heat rising in my face. I walked back to my desk. "There's a farmhouse by the river," I told her. "That's where we are gathering. Might as well sit tight inside the basement there and wait for further instructions."

She remained where she was, nodding aimlessly. "What time?"

I didn't look up at her. I couldn't without risking exposing my internal fantasies. "2200," I said. I stared at the documents but was unable to focus on the words. The moment I realized she had left the room, I blew out a heavy sigh, running my hand through my hair.

She was going to be the death of me.

When the time arrived for the patrol, I joined Winters and Nixon at the farmhouse. I stood by the door, watching the men as the orders were given to them directly from Winters. He felt that it was his responsibility to update them personally. It pained him to tell them about this mission. He didn't believe in this patrol anymore than we did.

As Winters gave the orders, I found myself unable to look away from Nurse Banks' face. She had been studying each man's face, almost memorizing it in case they didn't return. It broke my heart.

When Winters had finished telling the men their roles in this patrol, the men began to move out to prepare. Nurse Banks turned her gaze to me. I held it for a moment before forcing myself to follow the other officers out of the building.

Outside, the three of us walked a few paces away from the farmhouse. Winters turned to me and asked, "How confident are you that we'll be successful?"

I shrugged. "I don't normally disagree with orders very often but I think this is a mistake." I motioned up to the sky. "Full moon doesn't help and the men want a break."

Winters nodded as he listened to me. Nixon began to explain the reasoning behind why Sink wanted prisoners. My eyes drifted towards the farmhouse. Nurse Banks had exited. She seemed shaken. Her breathing was ragged as though she were fighting the urge to cry.

It wasn't long before the men inside the farmhouse had started to emerge. They had blackened their faces with war paint and were carrying light. They marched by Nurse Banks, except Webster who stopped and exchanged words with her. I narrowed my eyes at him as he spoke to her.

When Webster walked away from her, her shoulders slumped forward, almost in defeat. She rubbed her hands across her face before turning to head back inside.

I turned my gaze back to Nixon. I shook my head at how Sink wanted to boast to his bosses. We were in agreement that risking our men's lives didn't seem to be the way to go about this but Sink did outrank all three of us.

Winters motioned to the river. "Looks like you've got a problem already."

I glanced over my shoulder to see two soaked men entering the farmhouse. I gritted my teeth. This wasn't going according to plan.

I nodded to Winters and Nixon as I turned away from them. The two left for CP as I headed to the riverfront.

I didn't bother to check on the men who clearly fell into the river. They were safe inside where it was warm and I knew that Nurse Banks was dealing with them.

From my side of the river, I could see the men moving quickly towards one of the houses. Removing my binoculars from my coat, I peered through them to get a better look. Everything seemed to be progressing smoothly - until I watched Jackson throw a grenade into the building and charge inside before it had gone off.

The moment that happened, the other side of the river came to life. The men rushed inside, grabbing prisoners and other documents of interest as instructed. The Germans holding the small town began to rain bullets onto the retreating team.

The men scrambled back into the boats, bringing a couple of prisoners with them. I turned to the men on our side of the river. "Covering fire."

The men opened fire to help our men return safely. I grabbed my weapon, moving down to the river, providing covering fire.

The first boat hit the bank. Jackson was inside, screaming in pain. I ordered, "Get him inside!" I continued to provide covering fire as they rushed the kid into the farmhouse.

The next boat to come to the bank had the prisoners. It wasn't much longer until the next boat returned. We retreated back onto our side. The men, including the prisoners, had gone into the farmhouse.

I helped the men on our side keep the German forces at bay. It wasn't difficult to do since none of them wanted to leave the confines of their shelter.

Within minutes of the men's return, the other side had calmed down. I could still hear the screaming of the kid from inside the farmhouse. I sighed and headed for CP to inform Winters, Nixon, and Sink of what happened.

I was at CP for several hours, discussing what took place. We had one casualty - Jackson. Word had gotten to me shortly after my arrival to CP that he had passed. He wasn't even twenty years old yet.

I could see the look of regret wash over Winters' face. I knew that look well. He had that same look when he discovered the young kid from Able Company had died at Brecourt on D-Day. He took each death - each casualty - personally.

Sink finally entered our little meeting with a beaming smile on his face. He smacked me on the back. "Damned proud of you!" he announced. "Of all of you! You got me prisoners!"

"We lost a man today," Winters told him, sadly.

Sink nodded solemnly. "It's a shame," he said. "It truly is an unfortunate circumstance which makes what I'm about to say even harder."

I narrowed my eyes at him, exchanging glances with Winters and Nixon.

Sink cleared his throat. "Because of our success tonight, we'd like you to go back over and get more prisoners tomorrow."

I gritted my teeth. I wanted to protest but I was still a soldier. I had a job to do even if I disagreed with it. I looked over to Winters hoping he would talk some sense into the man.

Instead, Sink stated, "Same expectations but an hour later. I want more prisoners!"

We watched as the man left us standing there in dumbfounded silence.

I headed outside. I needed some air. I pulled a cigarette out, lighting it. I needed to shake this feeling from my mind. Every single man in Haguenau agreed that we shouldn't be doing these kinds of missions anymore but Battalion seemed determined to prove us wrong.

As the morning sun began to rise, my eyes caught movement outside the farmhouse. I stared as Webster and Nurse Banks exchanged more words. This time, it seemed that they were fighting. She tried to walk away from him but he grabbed her arm, whirling her around to face him. My blood boiled at the sight.

They continued having their spat before she jerked her arm away from him. She stormed away after saying something else to him and this time, he didn't stop her.

I watched as she walked and followed her at a safe distance. As I neared her, I spotted a Jeep full of Battalion officers arriving. I knew that Lerner wasn't in that Jeep. He was still making his way through other lines before he'd show up to ours. We still had some time to work out a plan.

I could see Nurse Banks tense up as she stared at the men climbing out of the Jeep. I stopped behind her and said, "He's not here."

She jumped slightly as she turned to face me. "That's a relief."

I held her gaze and asked, "Want to tell me what happened between you and Webster?"

She shook her head. "Nothing happened."

"Didn't look like nothing," I told her.

She furrowed her brow. "Where do you hide when you follow me around?" she asked facetiously. "Why is it that you always know what I'm up to?"

I smirked at her sarcasm. I wondered if she thought I lurked in the bushes, always watching her every move. "You're just not very aware of your surroundings."

"Apparently," she scoffed.

"So, what happened?" I asked again.

She sighed heavily, clearly realizing that I wasn't about to let this matter go that easily. "I went to apologize but it ended up in a fight. Let's just leave it at that."

I nodded, letting her drop the conversation. The wind blew hard into us, causing her to shiver. She crossed her arms over her chest for warmth. Small snowflakes began to drift down onto her hair and eyelashes. She scoffed angrily. "Again?"

I sighed, rubbing my forehead with my fingers. "This is going to make tonight difficult."

"What does that mean?" she asked, looking back to me.

"Sink was so pleased with how the patrol went last night that he has ordered another one for tonight and he will be watching this time," I told her.

"What?" she spat. "You can't be serious! What did those prisoners say that we would have to do this again?" She motioned towards the farmhouse and asked, "Do they not care that we lost a man and nearly two more to hyperthermia?"

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter what was said or who we lost," I told her. "The point of the matter is that we were successful and we are to do it again."

"This is a mistake," she whispered. I nodded once, agreeing but chose not to say anything more on the matter. "When does this one happen?" she asked.

"I have to go to the briefing now," I explained. "You'll know once I know something." I turned and walked away from her. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I already had the briefing and I knew when it was to take place. She needed a break from it all - that much was apparent as I took in her exhausted expression.

I avoided Nurse Banks for a couple of hours. I kept myself busy to keep myself distracted but eventually, my thoughts continued to drift back to her. I knew that she didn't want the patrol to happen and I understood and silently agreed with her reasons. I also knew that she was under an incredible amount of stress involving Robert Lerner.

My contact at Battalion had written to me again, warning me that Lerner was nearing our location. He gave me a few days to a week before he made his presence known to us. I was running out of time.

The other letter that I had received came from Nurse Sanderson. She informed me of Nurse Banks' fears regarding Lerner. She told me that Nurse Banks found solace in me - God only knew why - but she believed that despite it all, Nurse Banks loved me. Nurse Sanderson promised not to meddle but I had my doubts. I knew enough about Nurse Sanderson to know that she never sat still for long - especially when she believed to be helping those she cared about. All I could do was pray that she didn't tell Nurse Banks anything that might lead to false hopes.

I tucked the letters into my coat for safekeeping before heading outside. The cold air whipped around me and I pulled my gloves out. Once I pulled them over my fingers, I headed out to find Nurse Banks. I couldn't avoid her any longer. It was time to tell her the truth.

I didn't have to search for her for long. I spotted her sitting outside her house writing in her notebook. I gritted my teeth in frustration. She didn't have any proper winter clothing but continued to sit outside in the cold. I wondered if she did this on purpose - just to vex me.

As I approached her, the snow beneath my feet gave her the warning she needed to know that she was no longer alone. She glanced up to meet my gaze. I sat down on the steps next to her.

I noticed her shivering hands and removed my gloves, passing them over to her. She didn't hesitate and took them from me. She slipped her slender hands inside, letting a breath of relief out. "Thank you!" she said with a smile.

I nodded. "What are you doing outside?" I asked.

"I wanted the fresh air," she told me, averting her gaze.

I shook my head, not wanting to give her a lecture - a lecture she must have seen coming because she stifled a laugh.

Her face grew serious as she asked, "So, what's going to happen tonight?"

I could see a glimmer of hope on her face that I would tell her that the patrol was canceled. It broke my heart to know that I'd be crushing that hope with a simple sentence. "Sink wants the patrol," I told her. Her face fell as I continued, "It will be the same group of men, a few hours later in the night than before."

Silence fell over us. She finally broke it by whispering, "I hate this."

"I know," I whispered back, studying her face.

"I'm not talking about just the patrol," she admitted quietly, lifting her eyes to meet mine.

My voice growled softly as I said, "I know..."

My eyes locked with her dark ones. I found myself nearly drowning in them. I lowered my gaze to her lips and found myself wanting to kiss them, nibble on her lower lip gently. I wanted to wrap myself around her and show her that I had completely lost myself to her.

She must have felt my emotions or mirrored them because her cheeks reddened. Her eyes darted from my eyes to my lips. She started to lean slightly towards me.

"Sir?" a voice spoke next to us, breaking the intense hold over us. "Captain Winters is looking for you."

I blinked to fully break our connection. I stood up and found myself face to face with an angry looking Webster. He went rigid as he sized me up and made the connection in his head at what he just interrupted. I kept my face calm and neutral.

"Thank you, Private," I told him. I brushed by him, refusing to give him any more of my attention. I knew that Nurse Banks would have no other choice but to deal with him but unfortunately, that was her battle.

I headed down the lane to meet with Winters. I didn't have to go far. Winters met me halfway. "Speirs," he said. "I was looking for you."

I nodded. "I'm here now."

Nixon walked up to us, rubbing his hands together. "We shouldn't talk about this in the open."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Talk about what?"

Winters whispered, "I think we are all in agreement that we disagree with our current orders."

My eyes bounced between the two men standing before me. "Those are our orders," I reminded them. "It doesn't matter whether we agree or not."

Nixon smirked. "Sink won't be present for this one. He's currently feeling the effects of the drinks with his friends in Battalion," he told me. "Now, we know what dangers the men face if we go through with this patrol."

Winters continued, "If we send them over the river, the Germans will have moved further away and they will be on a heightened state of awareness. With the fresh snow and full moon, our men would most likely suffer."

I nodded and asked, "What can we do then?"

Nixon muttered again, "We really shouldn't be having this conversation out in the open."

Winters glanced around, ignoring his friend as he continued, "We do something that we shouldn't." I narrowed my eyes at him, waiting for clarification. He said, "We don't send the patrol."

"What about Sink?" I asked.

Nixon sighed, realizing that we weren't leaving our huddle. "I write a bogus report about a patrol that never takes place and turn that into Sink."

Winters saw my look of shock and asked, "The men need a break, don't you agree?" Again, I nodded. He added, "If we get caught-"

"We won't," Nixon interjected.

"If we get caught," Winters repeated. "I'll take full responsibility."

I thought over what they were planning. I didn't disagree with this plan. I asked, "When do we tell the men?"

"I'll tell them just before they are supposed to head out for the patrol," Winters stated. "That way, no one will be around to see."

"And it keeps their happy smirks off their faces for the rest of the day," Nixon added. "Well, I have a report to start conjuring up."

Winters and I watched Nixon walk away. I turned back to him and said, "You're a good man, Dick."

"So are you, Ron," Winters replied.


	16. Coming Apart

That evening, the men and Nurse Banks had gathered back into the farmhouse to wait for the patrol. Sink decided to have another briefing with Winters, Nixon, and myself before we could meet with the men. He had nothing more to add to the conversation except to reinforce the importance of prisoners - the more, the better.

Just before we were able to head out, Lieutenant Foley escorted a couple of men into the room. Cobb had been sandwiched between two others. He looked drunk.

As I turned to leave, I could hear Sink shout, "You could have saved us all a lot of work by just shooting him!"

I smirked as I exited the building and followed Nixon and Winters towards the farmhouse.

When we entered, I kept to the back of the room. Winters cleared his throat, glancing at the men as he asked, "Do you understand what the mission for tonight is?" The men nodded. He smiled and said, "Good because I want you to get a good night's sleep. We move out early in the morning."

I watched as the men exchanged confused and shocked glances with each other.

Winters continued, "Thanks to Cobb and the effects of the whiskey Colonel Sink had this afternoon, you won't have him here to watch." He smiled at the men one last time before leaving the basement.

The men breathed a sigh of relief, breaking into wide grins. They were the happiest I had seen them in some time. My eyes scanned their faces before stopping on Nurse Banks.

We stared at each other briefly before I forced myself to leave with Nixon and Winters, but not after giving her a small smile.

The next morning, Winters had been promoted to Major. No one except those that were to be involved on the patrol knew that it never happened. The men had gotten that much-needed sleep and we were piled into trucks onward to our next location.

I climbed into a Jeep and watched as a supply truck pulled into Haguenau. Another couple of Jeeps drove up behind as we pulled out of town. I wondered if Lerner had been among them and we had just missed each other. I knew that time was dwindling. My mind raced as I put together another plan on protecting Nurse Banks.

We had been ordered into Germany. Germany had a look and feel to it that reminded me of home. I reminded myself often that Germany was filled with terrible people which brought us into a war that we didn't want to be a part of. If it weren't for the people here, no one would have died.

Since arriving in Sturzelberg, I had been consistently busy with paperwork, reports, and other small tasks given to me by Sink. One morning, I hadn't been able to sleep and decided to get a head-start on my reports.

Sink had entered my office and asked, "Am I disturbing you?"

I glanced up from my paperwork. "Colonel, sir," I said, standing up and saluting. He waved my gesture aside. "What can I do for you?"

Sink stood before my desk. "How are the men adjusting to life here?"

I nodded briefly. "They seem to have adjusted easily," I told him. "It's quite the step up from Bastogne."

Sink chuckled. "I imagine that it is."

I furrowed my brow slightly as I waited for him to continue. He finally said, "We're going to be here for another day or two before moving out."

"Do we know where yet?" I asked, crossing my arms across my chest.

Sink replied, "I'll be letting you know as soon as I catch wind of it." He turned to leave but stopped. "Oh, before I forget," he said, turning back to face me. "How well do you know Emmeline Banks?"

I blinked at the question. "Nurse Banks?" I asked. "I know her some, why?"

"Well," Sink began. "I've gotten word that members of Battalion are making the long trip out here and one of the officers coming happens to know her."

I straightened up. "Really?" I feigned surprise.

Sink nodded. "Yes, an officer named..." he paused as though he were trying to remember the man's name - the name I was already aware of. He finally snapped his fingers together. "Lerner was his name. Robert Lerner." He held my straight face and asked, "Do you think she knows him?"

I shrugged. "It's possible but we've never spoken about it."

"I should reach out to her," Sink said. "I'd be curious as to the story behind that."

I nodded aimlessly. "Did you want me to track her down for you?" I asked, hoping that he'd say no.

"That's not necessary," Sink replied. "I'll be sure to ask her as soon as I run into her on my own."

"Very good, sir," I replied, uncrossing my arms. I placed my hands on my hips as he turned away from me.

My jaw tightened. I realized that my reports would have to wait. I couldn't take the risk of Sink finding Nurse Banks on his own. I knew from experience that just the mention of the name Lerner would cause her to betray the illusion of not knowing him. I couldn't risk her outing herself in this manner. All of my planning would be for naught if Sink spoke with her.

I marched out of my office. I spotted Sink speaking with other officers in the other room. I slipped out of the building and down the lane.

I started for Nurse Banks' housing but as I glanced around the area, my eyes landed on her familiar frame. She had stopped - almost frozen in fear just outside of CP. I turned and quickened my pacing to reach her before Sink spotted her.

As I neared her, she turned quickly. She slammed into my chest. Her eyes lifted to meet mine. I could see a panic behind her wide eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but I didn't give her the chance.

I grasped her wrist and tugged her along the road away from CP. I led her back to her housing. Once we got to the front door, I opened it, pulling her inside. I released my hold of her to close the door firmly behind us.

I whirled around to look at her. She seemed confused and stunned but there was still a mix of fear behind her eyes as she blinked at me. "What was that?" she asked me.

For a split second, the world around us didn't exist. All I saw was her standing there at the base of the stairs. In an instant, I saw what life could be like with her after the war. I saw my future standing there staring at me.

My heart pounded behind my ribs. I thought they were going to break. My body ached as it needed to be beside her. I needed her more than I thought. In this moment, I realized just how much I loved her. I couldn't deny myself any longer. I crossed the threshold towards her, closing the gap between us. I cradled her face with my hands and pulled her to my lips. In the heat of the moment, I carefully pushed her against the wall, pinning her between. I felt her body melt into mine as I deepened our kiss. I felt her surrender to me. I felt her body relax and calm as she held onto me for support.

Just as I felt my body betraying me to my desires, I pulled away from her. I couldn't continue pushing us forward - not now.

I heard her whisper, "Wha...what was that?"

I leaned my forehead against hers and whispered back, "I needed to talk to you."

She lifted her chin, pushing my head away from hers as she looked into my eyes. "Talk?"

"Your Lerner at Battalion is making a trip out here," I said bluntly. This wasn't how I envisioned telling her. I wanted to gently break the news to her but after that kiss, all tact had flown out the door.

She stammered, "You- You just kissed me and you want to talk about the Lerners?" She blinked at me as though I had lost my mind.

I removed my hands from her face and backed away. I straightened myself. I could see the confusion wash over her features again. I had no choice but to move on. "I didn't want to keep you in the dark regarding the Lerners," I began. "Sink knows that the Lerner at Battalion knows you. He was going to ask you about it when he saw you." I took another step back and added, "When I saw you standing outside HQ, I knew I had to get you away from there as quickly as I could." I broke eye contact with her.

She asked, "So, he's here?"

I shook my head, glancing out the window from my spot. "No, not yet," I told her. "But he will be here soon."

"What do I do?" she asked quietly. I could hear the quiver in her voice.

I turned to meet her gaze. "Lay low," I suggested. "Steer clear of Sink and the others from Battalion. With any luck, they will forget to ask you about him."

"And if they find me?" she asked, panic rising.

"Then we'll figure something out," I said confidently.

"We?" she repeated.

I shifted in my place. I wanted to embrace her, comfort her again, but I fought the urge. "I won't abandon you," I vowed. "I'll do whatever I can to keep him away from you."

"I hope you can," she choked. Tears were forming behind her dark eyes.

The few silent seconds that washed over us broke my heart. I forced myself to walk away from her. I couldn't bring myself to stay behind with her. I just hoped that she knew that I meant every word that I had said. I'd never abandon her and nothing would keep me from her.

That afternoon, I found myself sitting in another briefing with Sink, Winters, and Nixon. Sink informed us that Nixon would be leading another jump. He claimed that it was routine. Nixon paled at the thought. I couldn't blame him.

After hearing the order, my concentration had waned. I questioned the orders we were getting more and more. I began to wonder if these orders were coming from Lerner or not. I wondered how much longer we'd have to wait before he showed his face. I found myself looking forward to that day, strangely. I wanted to see the coward with my own eyes and size him up.

When the meeting ended, Nixon stormed off. He didn't say another word to Winters nor me. He barely even looked at us. Winters shrugged and followed after his friend.

I glanced over my shoulder and spotted Nurse Banks and Webster speaking just inside the med station's doors. I watched them for a moment to gauge what kind of conversation was taking place. Neither of them looked to be fighting with one another like last time but I could see the defeat in Webster's posture. I wondered if she had finally told him that there wasn't anything between them other than friendship.

I decided not to spy on them any longer. I turned and walked away. I had a list of my own that needed to be accomplished.

That evening, Welsh, Lipton, and I sat around a table playing cards since it had been raining hard. It was a rarity that we had the chance to relax and have a good time. I had a few whiskeys in me as we played. Welsh had a few too many drinks which didn't help his chances of winning each hand.

I heard the door to our building open. Nurse Banks rounded the corner. Our eyes landed on her. She was soaked to the bone.

"Emmeline!" Welsh called out to her. "You look terrible!" A wide smile grew on his reddened face. He reached out to grab his drink, taking a large gulp.

Lipton and I exchanged glances. I motioned to him to stay put as I stood up from the table and approached her. I extended my hand before me, informing her which direction to walk. Once we were alone in the other room, away from prying eyes, I closed the door behind us. "What's wrong?" I asked, studying her face. Something had happened. I feared that she was going to tell me that Lerner had arrived.

She shivered. "I'm worried about Nixon."

I pressed my lips together as I turned away from her, sighing heavily. I grabbed a towel off the dresser nearby and opened it up. I wrapped her up in the warm towel. I didn't let go of it. "Worried about him, how?" I questioned her. I watched as the water droplets dripped off her hair to her shoulders.

"Have you seen him lately?" she asked. "He just came to see me, talking about how he might be dying tomorrow and wanted me to send Darla a letter-"

I cut her off. "He's under a lot of stress, that's all," I explained vaguely. "Why did you walk through the storm to tell me this?" I brushed her wet hair from her face.

"I'm worried about him," she said honestly. "He was drunk - worse than I've seen him yet. I just want to make sure he's not going to hurt himself."

I nodded. "I'll look into it."  
"That's all I ask," she whispered back.

I studied her face as I held onto the towel that I had wrapped around her. Ignoring my better judgment, I found myself leaning towards her and brushing my lips gently against hers. The second my lips connected with hers, I reminded myself of where I was and retreated. I blinked once, holding her gaze.

Despite knowing better, I kissed her again, this time it was longer than the simple peck I just gave her. This had a wave of emotion behind it. I hoped that she would be able to understand my feelings for her with this kiss. I wanted her to know that I missed her, that everything would be okay, and not to worry anymore.

I pulled away from her and she whispered, "I better get going. I have a letter to write for Nixon."

I stood there and watched as she took the towel off her shoulders, passing it back to me. She brushed by me, opening the door and leaving.

I wondered what she expected me to do in regards to Nixon. The mission was already set in stone and there'd be no way to keep it from happening. I couldn't fix Nixon's drunken state. Even if I were to speak to him, he'd be unable to listen for long - if he were even awake now.

I tossed the wet towel aside. I realized that I'd have to track Nixon down. I promised her that I'd speak to him and for whatever reason, I kept my word to her in every way.

I found myself marching through the downpour towards Nixon's housing. I could see the light still on inside and pounded on the door loudly. As I waited in the rain, I glanced over my shoulder. I felt eyes on me but there was no one else there. It felt unsettling. I had a greater appreciation for what Nurse Banks endured on a regular basis.

I pounded on the door again. I decided that if Nixon didn't open the door soon, I'd let myself inside. I could see him stumbling down the stairs and towards the door. He leaned against the doorframe as he opened the door.

His face was damp with sweat and I could smell the alcohol cloud around him. He glared at me. "What do you want?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Are you all right?"

Nixon tried to straighten himself up. Smirking, he tossed his arms out to his sides. "Fine," he laughed. "Never better."

He turned and stumbled away from the door. I let myself in, closing the door behind me. Before I had a chance to ask him anything, he beat me to the punch. "Did she send you?"

"Who?" I asked, feigning knowledge. There was only one 'she' in the area.

He rolled his eyes at me. "Emmeline...did she send you?" he asked.

I stood at attention before him. I needed to keep this as professional as possible. Giving him a curt nod, I added, "She was concerned-"

"And you decided to come to my side like a good little soldier?" he mocked. I narrowed my eyes at him. This wasn't a side of him that I was used to seeing and I didn't like it.

"Let's get you up to bed," I told him. "Maybe you can sleep some of this off before your jump tomorrow."

He growled at me, smacking my arms away from him. "Leave me alone." He grabbed the bottle on the stairs, slumping down on one of the steps. He took a chug from the bottle before extending it out to me. "Have a drink with me," he told me. "I'll consider it a friendly gesture as my last living request."

I sighed, sitting down next to him. I took the bottle and said, "You're not going to die tomorrow."

"Then let's celebrate," he interjected, motioning for me to drink. I took a swig from the bottle. The second it lowered from my lips, Nixon snatched it back greedily.

"What's this really about?" I asked. He handed me the bottle again and I took a long drink.

"I don't want to be leading this mission," he admitted. "However," he paused again to take another chug. "Since Sink seems content with punishing me-"

I smirked. "You got yourself demoted-"

"Semantics!" he interjected after a quick swallow of alcohol. "The point is: if I am to be going out there again, I'd rather be drunk so I don't remember any of it."

"You'll be fine," I said, taking the bottle and drinking from it. "Besides, it'll be over before you know it."

He groaned, yanking the bottle back. "What is going on with you and Emmeline anyway?"

"Nothing," I lied. I felt a small part of me die as I uttered those words.

He chuckled, slapping me on the back. "Sure," he said. "Whatever you say."

"What did you want to tell Nurse Sanderson?" I found myself asking. I realized too late that I felt the buzz of alcohol sweeping over me. I shouldn't have asked that question. It would prove to him that Nurse Banks and I spoke about non-professional matters.

He sighed, letting his head fall to his chest. "I'm such an idiot," he muttered. "I should tell her not to write the letter...I should do it myself."

"You should," I replied, taking another large gulp. The room felt unsteady. Nixon was getting me drunk and for whatever reason, I was allowing it to happen.

"You're not so scary, you know," he told me, taking the bottle again.

I smirked. "Says who?"

"Says me," he laughed. "I think it's an act."

I nodded, blinking away the haze. I would never confirm nor deny anything, regardless of my state of mind. I knew what he was trying to do here and I wouldn't let him get away with it.

The door opened and suddenly, Winters was standing over us. His blue eyes narrowed as he took the two of us in. "Are you two drunk?"

Nixon laughed, holding the bottle out for Winters. "Care to join us?"

Winters sighed. He turned to me. "You best get out of here before someone else comes in here," he said. I nodded and stood on unstable legs. Winters gave me a small lecture behind his gaze.

I cleared my throat and slowly stumbled out of Nixon's house. I didn't go home though. I took a walk since the rain had let up. The rest of the night had disappeared quickly.


	17. Hold Tight

The next morning, I woke up on a small silk sofa. My eyes darted around the room. I found that I had somehow gone back to my room and snagged my bag and weapon. I groaned as I sat up on the sofa.

Holding my head, I blinked at the bright lights. I had a hangover. My eyes landed on a mostly empty bottle of bourbon. I grabbed it and took a long chug. It helped with the hangover.

I tossed the bottle aside and reached for my bag. Inside, it was filled with silver items - cutlery, hand mirrors, candlesticks, napkin rings, and more. I glanced over and saw a note written to me.

Sir, I have the rest of your things with me. I didn't want to leave them unattended. - Janovek

Scratching my head, I tried to remember what I had done after leaving Nixon's. I couldn't remember but it became obvious that I had gone pilfering through people's homes and snagged the expensive items. I had no way of knowing where they belonged and I didn't want anyone else to see them and take them. I stood up and slung the bag over my shoulders with my weapon. I bent down and picked up the note before searching for Janovek.

It didn't take long to find the Private. The men were talking about how he had managed to convince a German girl to go upstairs with him. I marched up the steps to house the men were gawking at and threw open the door. I paused, listening. I could hear the woman moaning in pleasure upstairs. I shouted, "Janovek!"

As I ran up the stairs, I could hear movement from behind one of the doors. I slammed the door open to see a naked and sweaty Janovek standing at attention - salute and all. "Sir!"

I didn't glance at the naked woman in his bed as she covered herself up. I held his gaze and asked, "Where's my stuff?"

He slowly motioned over to the table near the door. He stammered, "I-I thought I'd leave it over there, sir." I could tell he was nervous in my presence.

I turned and glanced over the items. There were two silver serving trays, more candlesticks, and some bowls. I grabbed it all and didn't say another word as I took my leave of the man and his companion.

As I walked away from the building, I noticed how beautiful the day had turned since the storm. I hoped that this meant that things would be looking up for us. I heard a Jeep coming upon me and I glanced up in time to jump out of the way. The Jeep narrowly missed striking me.

I watched as Nixon turned around in his seat inside the Jeep to glare at me. He looked worse for wear and suddenly I grew concerned. It hit me that he had his jump that morning. A dark pit formed in my stomach as I thought about how it must have gone.

I turned to go again, but my eyes landed on a familiar gaze across the way. Nurse Banks held my stare for a moment before turning and entering the med station again. I gritted my teeth for having been spotted with my belongings.

I entered the building that our men were using as a supply and post depot. I spotted a few men whisper and creep out of the building upon my entrance. I ignored their hushed whispers about me as I set my things onto the counter. I pulled out a pack of cigarettes and plopped it down on top of my things.

The Private working the building looked over at me. "Good morning, sir."

"Morning," I said, distracted. I pulled a second pack of cigarettes from my pocket and asked, "Do you have a box all of this stuff will fit into?"

The man looked over the items, nodding as he took it in. "Yes, sir. I think so," he said. "Same destination?"

I hadn't a clue as to where the destination I had set up before was, so I simply nodded. "Yeah..."

The Private took the cigarettes as his payment and stated, "Yes sir. I'll make sure that they go out first thing in the morning."

"Thank you, Private," I told him. I tapped the counter before turning to leave.

"Boy, your folks are gonna have quite the collection by the time you get-" he stopped mid-sentence the second I turned to glare at him. He swallowed nervously as he thought of how to finish his sentence. Finally, he muttered, "home, sir."

To mess with him even more, I gave him a sly smile. "Finders keepers." I turned and exited the building.

Winters caught me upon my exit. He walked alongside me. "We've gotten word on new standing orders."

I stopped. "Where are we headed now?"

"Hausach," Winters replied. "We're invading Hitler's mountain."

"What are we waiting for?" I asked, a sly smile returning to my face. This was some of the best news that I had heard yet.

Winters chuckled. "As soon as we're ready to go," he replied. "I've already got the men working on packing up so we can begin the trek out there."

"I'll make sure they're prepared," I told him. I turned to leave when he stopped me.

"Are you drunk?" he asked, scanning my face.

I shook my head. "Not anymore."

Before I had a chance to leave, Nixon stepped out, sighing heavily. He was holding a letter. He glanced up to meet Winters' and my eyes. "She's taking everything!" he shouted, walking with Winters to the Jeep. "She's taking the kid, the house, the dog...it's not even her dog! It's my dog - she's taking my dog!" He threw his helmet angrily into the Jeep.

The men surrounding us stopped to gawk. I shot them all silent warnings. The moment their eyes met mine, they quickly averted their gazes and moved on.

Nixon let his shoulders slump in defeat as he climbed into the Jeep. I watched him as I realized that despite heading overseas and fighting for his country - despite sending money home for his family - his wife hadn't stopped living her life. She had needs and desires and simply couldn't wait for him. I found myself thankful that I had no one back home waiting for me.

I hopped into the Jeep and spotted Nurse Banks as she climbed into the back of one of the trucks. I wondered how different life for her would have been had she had a normal life. I knew that if she had a normal life, she'd be married to someone else, probably a mother already, and we wouldn't have met. It pained me to be grateful that she didn't have a normal life - completely selfish on my part.

We pulled away from that town and made our way into our fifth country. It was a solemn experience as we knew that our next location would be the heart of the Nazi world. No one living there could deny being one. They were all the same in my mind.

When we finally arrived, Winters turned to me and ordered, "Get patrols out right away."

I shouted to the men their orders, breaking them into groups. The men nodded as they took off to fulfill their new orders. I turned back around and spotted Nurse Banks, standing there, wide-eyed and in awe of the town, we were in.

I approached her and gently grabbed her elbow, pulling her aside. "Don't stray too far from our men," I ordered her with a hushed tone.

"What's going on?" she asked, blinking up at me. She was searching for answers behind my eyes. I knew she wouldn't find any.

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "But I don't want to take any risks."

"I understand," she said, almost too quickly.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at her. I didn't believe her enough to trust her to follow my instructions. I turned to see who remained behind from the patrols. When my eyes landed on a familiar frame, I gritted my teeth. "Private Webster!"

"Sir?" he responded, somewhat confused.

"Keep an eye on Miss Banks," I ordered.

"Yes sir," he replied, shocked.

I nodded and walked away from the two. I didn't exactly want her to be by herself nor did I want her to be around Webster but I knew that Webster wouldn't let anything happen to her.

After walking away, I took a couple of men and started to clear out the houses in the area. It took all day and I wasn't pleased with the lack of cooperation with the townsfolk. I should have known better but for whatever reason, I had hoped they would understand their mistakes.

By the time we had finished, I had been informed that Winters had left with another group of Easy men. They had found something but whenever I asked what it was that had been discovered, no one had the answer.

Another man approached me. I recognized him from Dog Company. "Sir," the man started. He motioned to Webster.

I glared at Webster. He was supposed to be with Nurse Banks. With narrowed eyes, I started for the man. "What are you doing here? Where is Nurse Banks?"

When I stopped before the man, I noticed that Webster was pale - almost as though he had seen a ghost. My heart stopped. I feared for Miss Banks. He stammered, "You have to come with me."

"What happened?" I demanded.

"She's fine," he said, realizing that I was about to strangle him. He added, "But there's something we found that you should see."

I snapped my finger at the man from Dog Company. "Get all the men you can find," I ordered. "Hurry up!"

"Yes sir," the man replied, running to fulfill my order.

I turned my attention back to Webster. "Tell me quickly," I started. "What did you find and why aren't you with her?"

Webster began, "We stumbled upon some kind of structure with prisoners inside-"

"And you left her there?" I snapped. I couldn't wrap my head around his thought process. She never should have been left alone regardless of where she was - regardless of what she told him.

Webster replied, "She sort of forced me to go-"

"You're telling me that a woman of her stature was able to force you to do something?" I asked, eyes glaring at him. Nothing he could say would change my opinion or stance on this matter and he knew it.

Dog Company had assembled quickly and we followed Webster quickly through the forest to where he had left Nurse Banks behind.

When we pushed our way out of the tree line, we were stunned by what lay on the other side. The structure that Webster had stated they found was actually a prison.

Nurse Banks finally realized that we had returned. The prisoners inside the camp started to retreat from our approach. Nurse Banks stumbled to her feet, motioning for us to stop. "Stop! Stop!" she shouted at us. "Don't come any closer!"

I motioned for the men to halt but I continued towards her. I wasn't pleased with her decision and she knew it based on my facial expression, and if she didn't know it from the look on my face, my words certainly told her well enough. "What were you thinking - staying here by yourself?"

"Don't be angry with me," she said calmly. "I did what I had to do. Besides, what are they going to do to me?" She motioned with her head towards the sickly women and children inside. She added, "They don't seem to trust men, but they do seem to trust me."

I peered over her shoulder to the women inside the camp. The fear written on their faces when they stared at the men behind me was apparent. Nurse Banks was right. I studied the women for a moment. Their hair had fallen out in clumps, leaving it stringy, unkempt like a doll who had its hair ripped out. Their skin was a mottled gray with patches of old bruises yellowing. They looked as though they hadn't eaten in quite some time.

I turned my gaze back to Nurse Banks. "What do you suggest?"

She blinked at me, obviously stunned that I had agreed to follow her lead on this matter. She licked her lips before saying, "Water? Food? Another medic, maybe?"

I nodded and waved another man over to us. When he stopped next to us, I ordered, "Bring water, food, and the medic from Fox."

"Yes sir," the man replied, turning and running away from the scene.

She glanced over to Webster. "I need you to translate." He nodded and followed her to the gates of the prison.

I watched from my spot as the women inside fidgeted nervously as Webster approached but they relaxed as they realized he could communicate with them.

I couldn't hear the conversation from where I stood but I knew by their expressions that whatever took place in this compound, they had suffered greatly. The women inside began to cry - almost as though they had been mourning for years. No one could blame them and none of us had a dry eye as we looked at them.

I watched as Nurse Banks staggered away suddenly. Collapsing onto her knees, she threw up. I approached her quickly, unhooking my canteen from my belt. I stopped near her and waited for her to finish.

The moment she finished getting sick, I reached down and helped her to her feet. I could feel her shaking underneath my grasp. I passed her my canteen which she took without hesitation. She took a gulp, swirled it around in her mouth before swallowing it.

"Sorry," she sighed, passing my canteen back to me. She turned and returned to Webster's side.

The man that I had sent to get food, water, and the medic had returned. "Sir?" he began. "I've got orders from Colonel Sink regarding our situation here."

I furrowed my brow at him. "What orders?"

"Easy has found another camp like this a few miles from here," he explained. "The Regimental Surgeon wants everyone to leave the prisoners alone-"

"Victims," I corrected.

"Sir?" the man asked confused.

I inhaled deeply. "They aren't prisoners. They're victims."

The man nodded slowly. "Yes sir, sorry sir," he said, understanding my meaning. He swallowed before saying, "We're to leave them here for the Regimental Surgeon. He's going to take over things here. He has to monitor their food and water intake so they don't kill themselves."

I gritted my teeth. I understood why the order was given but it didn't make it any easier to explain, especially to Nurse Banks. She'd take this the hardest and it would kill me to tell her.

I turned and called out, "Would you two join me over here for a moment?" The two glanced at each other briefly before marching over to me. They stopped before me and waited. I said, "I've just heard word from Colonel Sink." I couldn't look at her as I continued, "We're not to give these people food or water."

"What?" she spat, disgust written on her face.

"Easy Company found another camp not far from here," I explained. "The men there are just as bad as these women from what I've been told. They need to have their food and water intake monitored so that they don't eat themselves to death." I finally held her angry stare. "Regimental Surgeon will be taking over."

"What do we tell them?" Webster asked, knowing that Nurse Banks wouldn't be able to.

I sighed. "Tell them the truth," I said. "We're going to help them. Explain that we will be leaving but a few will stay behind to make sure that they aren't alone anymore."

I saw the tears cascading down Miss Banks' face. It broke my heart and I wanted nothing more than to brush them aside but I couldn't. I watched as she turned to face the camp. It took her a moment before she started back on unstable legs. She reached the gate to the compound and collapsed to her knees, sobbing.

I took a small step forward but forced myself to remain where I was. I couldn't comfort her and that killed me.

The women inside knew from her reaction that we weren't going to help them - not in the way that they expected. They held onto each other tightly, crying alongside Nurse Banks. Their crying grew as Webster explained the situation and the plan that would happen as soon as we left.

Nurse Banks buried her face in her hands as she knelt in the dirt. Webster turned away after speaking to the women inside. He paused briefly next to Nurse Banks. He placed a hand on her shoulder before leaving her alone.

The moment Webster passed by me and left with the other men, I approached Nurse Banks. I reached down and pulled her to her feet. I whispered, "The best way to help them is to be strong for them right now."

I began to tug her gently away from the camp and away from the women. She didn't fight me but her eyes remained locked on them the entire walk away.

It hadn't occurred to me during this entire war that this was why we were fighting. I never expected to see something this horrific in my lifetime. I couldn't wrap my head around the reasoning that Hitler had to do this to so many people. It was madness at its finest and it just didn't make sense to any of us.

When we returned back to town, I watched Nurse Banks retreat to her house. Winters and Sink had informed me that since our arrival to this town, these kinds of camps were being discovered all over the place. The Russians had discovered one that was much worse than the ones we had found. None of us could believe that until Sink explained what they discovered at theirs.

The Russians had discovered a much larger camp with gas chambers used for execution and cremations. They had very little in ways of survivors and those that had survived either died shortly after being liberated or couldn't speak of what took place there.

It hit all of us hard as we were filled in with the horrors of war. No one could make sense of the matter. No one could speak of it. But every single one of us knew that this moment would haunt us for the rest of our lives. There would be no escaping this.

That evening, I found myself standing outside Nurse Banks' house. She hadn't left since we returned that afternoon. I worried about her. I inhaled deeply, realizing that someone had to be there for her. She shouldn't be alone - not after the day she had.

I stopped in front of the door and knocked a couple of times. When there was no answer within the dark house, I opened the door and let myself in. Closing the door behind me, I moved carefully about.

I could hear faint sobs from the other room. I turned and entered the sitting room. I could see the faint silhouette of her sitting in the corner of the room, knees pulled up to her chest, head resting on the top of her knees.

I knelt before her. "Emmeline?"

Her head snapped up. The tears on her face shimmered in the moonlight. Before I had a chance to say or do anything, she launched herself forward and into my arms.

I was surprised by her actions and we tumbled to the floor. I sat on the floor, cradling her as she latched onto me tightly, fingertips digging into my back as though her life depended on me. She sobbed into my chest. I could feel her tears as they began to soak through my shirt.

I remained silent for the rest of the night with her, knowing that the most important thing she needed right now was the ability to mourn and cry. She needed to feel safe, protected, and loved. I made sure to provide that for her.


	18. Living Low

The next morning, my eyes slowly opened. I allowed them to adjust to the sunlight of the new day. My gaze drifted over to meet the familiar dark eyes of Nurse Banks. Her eyes were swollen from crying all night. Her cheeks were streaked with dried tears and dirt. Her nose was tinged pink. Despite all of that, she was still as beautiful as ever. I smiled at her. "Morning."

"Morning," she whispered back. She untangled herself from my arms, sitting up.

"Are you doing any better?" I asked, sitting up next to her on the floor.

She stretched briefly. "I don't think I'll ever be okay."

I nodded knowing her meaning. "I know," I told her. "I understand."

She bit her lip. It had been quite a while since I had seen her do that. It brought back some old memories of simpler times. I placed one of my hands on her cheek, running my thumb over her lips. "Bad habits die hard," I quoted. She chuckled. She opened her mouth to say something - probably to apologize for biting her lip. I didn't want to hear it, so I leaned forward and kissed her tenderly. I pulled away and whispered, "We better get moving."

She nodded and I helped her to her feet. I held her before me, staring deep into her eyes. Behind her dark eyes remained so much about her that I simply didn't know. After seeing her bravery the night before at the camp, I found myself in awe of who she was and I hadn't even seen all of her yet. She held my gaze. I whispered, "You're my mystery, Emmeline."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

I smiled at her. "I think there is more to you than you like to show people and you're slowly letting me in to see it," I told her. "My mystery that I get to solve. I'm looking forward to that day."

She held my gaze, blinking away tears that had started forming as I spoke to her. I could see a small blush growing on her face. She whispered, "You're a mystery too, you know... very guarded but your walls are starting to crumble."

I smirked, giving her another short kiss on the lips. She didn't realize that she was the reason my walls had crumbled. She had this strange hold over me and I was like putty in her hands. Whatever she asked of me, I'd do it without hesitation. I was amused that she hadn't realized that power she held over me yet.

A knock landed on the door, breaking us out of the hold we had with each other. Nurse Banks turned and headed for the door. I could hear her open the door and ask, "Yes?"

"Is Captain Speirs here?" a voice asked.

I rounded the corner and stood next to her. "What is it, Private?"

"Sir, Major Winters wanted me to inform you that Hitler is dead. He'd like to speak with you about what's to come," the man replied.

"Very good, thank you," I said with a salute. The man returned the gesture before rushing off.

Nurse Banks turned to me, eyes wide. "What does this mean now? Is the war over?"

I shook my head. "Just because he's dead doesn't mean that the war is over," I explained. Images of the camp came rushing back to me. There was more at play to those camps than just Hitler, I suspected. I added, "I'll need to head over and speak to Winters to see what our new orders are."

She nodded. I kissed her forehead and left her behind as I headed to HQ. I wanted details.

Upon entering HQ, Sink and Winters were already inside speaking about the upcoming days. I patiently waited to the side until Sink took his leave and Winters spotted me. He waved me over to his office. Once we were alone inside, he began to fill me in.

"We're heading to Berchtesgaden," he stated. "It's the last known location of Hitler and his closest officers." He glanced down at his paperwork and added, "It's where his 'Eagle's Nest' sits too."

"Are we going to be raiding his 'Nest'?" I asked.

Winters held my stare. "With any luck," he said with a smile. "We know that our allies are trying to be the first to enter it... we're hoping to beat them there."

"When do we move out?" I asked eagerly.

"Soon," Winters told me. "There's one more thing that I want you to know." I waited for him to continue. He said, "There are rumors circulating that Hitler isn't dead as the reports are saying. I want to make sure that we are all taking the highest precautions as we move forward."

I nodded. It wasn't anything new in military history for a commander like Hitler to have stand-ins who looked like him. It made it harder for assassination attempts if the assassins took out the doppelganger. He wasn't the first to utilize such a scheme and he wouldn't be the last. I just hoped that the reports were true and the evil man was indeed dead. It would make things simpler.

Winters nodded. "Let the men know," he said. "We'll leave in a few hours."

"Yes sir," I said, turning from his office.

Entering into Berchtesgaden was something out of a painting. The towering snow-capped mountains, dark green and lush forests surrounding us, the shimmering creeks and lakes that wound around the rolling landscapes, and even the cookie-cutter gingerbread-like houses that lined the roads neatly were something to behold. It was by far one of the most beautiful locations we had seen over the years.

The town was practically void of any human evidence. They knew that if they remained in the town, they'd be known Nazis. There'd be no way for them to deny what they were because they'd have to be in order to live here - this close to the man himself. Those that had decided to stay were ordered out and monitored closely.

The men had begun looting the town. No one stopped them. I didn't have a problem with it as long as it wasn't important documents that should go to Battalion.

I scanned the area and found Nurse Banks sitting by herself, writing in her notebook. Her lips still pursed occasionally to the side as she wrote madly. I smiled as I noticed that she'd always write in that way.

My attention was snatched away from her when I heard men hollering in excitement. Talbert had found one of Hitler's cars. I headed over. Talbert looked at me and stated, "They said that it's got bulletproof glass and that it will run forever."

"Well," I began, hands on my hips. The men's eyes held me, afraid that I was about to ream them a new one or confiscate the car. I continued, "Let's take her for a spin and find out for ourselves."

Talbert's face beamed as he hopped into the driver seat. I climbed in next to him. He threw the car into gear and took off up the hill. He explained that he had taken all the oil out of the engine to see if it would kill the motor. We managed to make it up the hill and back without that being a problem.

We took the car for an extended joyride, putting the vehicle through hell and back in hopes of finding a weakness. There wasn't one - even with no oil in the engine.

When we returned to town, Talbert fired several rounds into the windshield to see if the rumors were true. Turned out that it was. Only armor piercing rounds blew all the windows out. His aim wasn't entirely true and the side of the car ended up with some new holes.

With each experiment that Talbert put that car through, the men cheered, almost encouraging his behavior.

A Private approached me. He handed me a letter and stated, "Sir? I've been told that Battalion is wanting all the cars. We're to hand them over to the Brass."

I sighed, nodding that I understood. After the man walked away, I called Talbert over. He hopped off the hood of the car. "We have to turn the cars over to the Brass at Regiment. No more experiments."

Talbert's face had fallen. His disappointment was apparent. I glanced at the work he did to the car. The engine was finally smoking. I smirked as I turned my attention to my letter. It was from my contact back in Battalion.

I skimmed the details and my heart stopped. Lerner was on his way to Berchtesgaden now. I checked the date. It was sent a week ago. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach that he would be arriving today or tomorrow. I had no way of knowing for certain of his actual arrival.

I tucked the letter into my coat and headed out quickly to track Nurse Banks down. I needed to have my sights on her. If Lerner was arriving today, there was no way that I'd have her out in the open and alone.

As I headed into town, a couple of Jeeps passed by me. I knew at that moment that Lerner had arrived. The hair on the back of my neck had stood up. It was the same feeling I had when we found those camps.

I navigated through the town desperately searching for Nurse Banks. When I spotted her, she had seen the Jeeps. Her face paled as she stood there frozen. She began to retreat back towards the houses - back towards me.

She rounded the corner and I grabbed her quickly, hand over her mouth to keep her from crying out. I didn't want her to make a sound in case Lerner was looking or listening for her.

She struggled against me for a moment until I whispered, "It's me."

She relaxed and I released my hold on her. She whirled around and glared at me with panicked eyes. "Don't do that!"

I gave her an apologetic glance. I didn't have another option. I told her what she already knew, "Lerner's here."

"I know," she admitted. "I just saw him."

"We've got to keep you out of sights," I stated. I glanced around the corner to make sure that Lerner was still where I had last seen him. He was inspecting the cars that Talbert had destroyed.

"How do we do that?" she asked. "I mean, all he has to do is ask one of the men where I am."

I thought for a moment, holding her gaze. "I'll think of something," I told her. "I won't let him near you."

Her eyes filled with dread and fear. She whispered, "He'll find me eventually," she whispered. "And he'll do whatever he can to get to me."

I furrowed my brow at her words. She was terrified, this much was obvious but what she wasn't telling me had me concerned. She knew the lengths this man would go to get to her and it left a lot to the imagination on what he'd do to her once he got his hands on her. I found myself preparing to do battle for her.

She choked on her words as she whispered again, "I don't want him hurting those close to me..." She lifted her scared eyes up to meet mine. "I don't want him hurting you."

"He won't get the chance," I told her confidently. I had gotten a glimpse of the man. I knew that if it came down to a battle between the two of us, I'd be able to take him down.

I didn't know Lerner personally but I knew that if he preyed on women and children as she had told me, then I knew that he was a coward. I knew his type well enough.

She swallowed nervously. "How can you be so sure?"

"He doesn't know me," I explained.

She bit her lip, clearly worried and nervous. I understood why she was doing it at this moment but I couldn't let that go. I whispered, "You've got to stop chewing your lip." I placed my hand on her cheek and added, "It will give you away."

She closed her eyes. I could see her tears wetting her lashes. "I'm terrified."

I leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips before pulling her into a tight embrace. "Trust me now, Emmeline. I'll take care of it," I said. I pulled away from her and added, "We're heading up to the Eagle's Nest." I tugged on the strands of her hair that had come out of her braid. "Tuck your hair into your helmet and let's go."

She did as she was told. I could see her nerves plain as day. I feared that if it wasn't her lip biting that gave her away, it would be the fear on her face. At this moment, I realized that Robert Lerner was a real threat to her life and I refused to sit idly by and watch him torture her a moment longer.

We approached the trucks that were waiting to take the men up to the Nest. I couldn't spot Lerner among the men. As I scanned the area, I noticed the men from Regiment by the cars. There was a man underneath one of the cars and I deduced that it was Lerner. I hoped he remained under there until we were long gone.

I watched as Nurse Banks climbed into the back of one of the trucks. My eyes landed on Webster. I hoped that he would protect her if the need arrived.

I turned and climbed into the Jeep just moments before we took off up the mountainside.

The men sang and cheered the entire ride up the mountain. It felt like we had reached the end of the war and things were looking up. The men we had had survived through hell and back. For the first time in a while, they were calm and happy.

We stopped in front of the entrance to the Eagle's Nest. I shouted orders to the men as we approached the building. The men understood their role and left to follow their orders.

Inside, I was blown away by the sheer size of this place. The panoramic views of the mountains and valleys were something to behold. I understood now why this was Hitler's favorite place in the world. Up here, you felt like God - untouchable.

The sound of something crashing to the floor had caught my attention. I rushed over when I spotted Nurse Banks sprawled on the floor. She had tripped over a body of one of Hitler's officers. I helped her to her feet.

I held her tightly, unwilling to let her go as she stared at the man at our feet. I glanced over to the men who had also come to her aid. "Check the rest of the place," I ordered. "Make sure we are the only living ones here."

"Right away, sir!" the men said, turning to check the rest of the place out.

"Are you all right?" I asked. She nodded but still couldn't tear her eyes off of the dead man. I tugged her away from the body when I realized that she seemed in a state of shock.

A loud pop sounded near us, startling both of us. I whirled around, pulling her behind me, sidearm raised in front of me at the ready. My eyes fell upon Malarkey, who had just popped open a bottle of champagne. I sighed heavily, lowering my sidearm.

Malarkey glanced down at the dead man and lifted the bottle. "Here's to him," he said with a smirk. He took a large chug from the bottle.

"Find anything else?" I questioned, holstering my sidearm.

"Found a couple of others," Malarkey admitted. "Shot in the head as well." I nodded and watched him walk away from us, drinking as he went.

It wasn't much longer before the men had opened several bottles of liquor and champagne to celebrate. Even I had joined in on the festivities. The amount of alcohol that I had unknowingly consumed had me forgetting all of my worries and fears. For the first time since the war started, I felt like I was enjoying the day with friends.

"So, all those rumors of you, are they true?" someone asked me.

I narrowed my eyes at the Private who asked the question. "Is that how you talk to a superior officer?"

He swallowed nervously, unsure what to say next. "Sorry, sir...but...are they true? Sir?"

I smirked, taking another swig from my bottle. I passed the bottle off to the man next to me. I wasn't going to answer the question. I hadn't answered this whole time and it would be the secret I'd take to the grave.

Welsh laughed. "If you want to live to see the end of the war, I wouldn't ask him that kind of question," he told the man. "He might shoot you like he did his drunken Sergeant that refused to go on patrol!"

Winters and Lipton had joined the group. I watched as the enlisted men and Nurse Banks took their leave so that Winters could address just the officers.

Welsh hugged Winters, showcasing just how drunk he was. He smiled up at Winters and said, "I love what you've done with the place... have a drink." He held a bottle forward. "Just so we can say we saws you do it."

Winters chuckled as he said, "Listen up. From court, just came in. Effective immediately, all troops stand fast at present positions."

Welsh tried to stand up straight, giggling. Nixon lounged into his seat, arms crossed behind his head. "Stand fast."

Winters chuckled again before asking, "Wanna hear it?" He paused to watch the men giggling. He asked, "Ready for it?" The men nodded. "Listen up...German army surrendered." A heavy silence fell upon us as Winters slapped Welsh's cheek playfully. He started to leave, pointing to Nixon, he added, "I've got a present for you. Come on."

"Holy shit," Welsh sighed, before breaking out into a fit of giggles. He popped open another bottle of champagne.

I stood up and stumbled out of the balcony. I couldn't believe what we had just been told. I never thought I'd live to see the end of the war - especially after the things I had done.

I heard footsteps carefully approaching. I knew who it was before I saw her. I saw her round the corner and I reached out and grabbed her wrists, pulling her towards me. I pushed her back to secure her between me and the wall.

Her startled expression met my amused one. She sighed. "I thought I told you not to do that."

"I guess I forgot about that," I said with a chuckle. I leaned in and kissed her. As I deepened the kiss, I pushed her against the wall even more. As I kissed her, I found myself releasing my pent-up frustrations and desires into that kiss. I couldn't bring myself to release my hold of her. I needed her. I craved her.

I finally broke our kiss when I heard someone calling out to me. "Captain Speirs? Anyone seen Captain Speirs?"

I growled lowly in her ear, lowering my forehead to her shoulder. Whoever was looking for me had come at the most inconvenient time.

Nurse Banks whispered, "It's probably Mercier dressed as a German officer."

I furrowed my brow at her in confusion. "Wait here."

I walked around the corner and spotted three men waiting for me in the main room. I recognized all three of them to be men from Easy Company. I decided that I'd play along with their game. "What's going on here, Private?"

"Sir, we've caught this German officer," the man began. "What should we do with him?"

I could see the amusement behind his expression. He tried to hide the fact that this was a joke but I saw through it. "Take him out and shoot him," I ordered.

The three men's faced paled as they exchanged glances with one another. They couldn't believe that I had given that order. "Sir! It's me, Mercier, sir!"

"Mercier, get out of that silly uniform," I ordered, shaking my head.

"Yes, sir," Mercier replied, relieved that I didn't shoot him myself. I watched as the men walked away from me.

I turned and meandered my way back to Nurse Banks. I chuckled as approached her. "You should have seen the looks on their faces!"

She smirked. "I feel bad that I ruined their joke."

I shook my head. "Don't be," I reassured her. "I would have said that regardless."

She studied my face before saying, "I don't think you would have."

I raised an eyebrow at her, accepting her challenge. "What does that mean?"

"I don't believe that you did all those things they said about you," she admitted.

"What things, Miss Banks?" I asked, amused.

"I know you didn't shoot your own Sergeant for refusing to go on patrol because I was there," she began. "I highly doubt you shot all of those prisoners, though I think you were there when it happened. The men, including Winters, saw you take an armed battery out by yourself, so I guess that one's true."

I kissed her to stop her from continuing. I didn't have the heart to tell her that most of the rumors were true. She didn't think the drunken Sergeant was true because she was most likely thinking back on Jefferson but she didn't know about the one I had no choice but to shoot on D-Day.

I didn't want to sully her image of me by allowing her to know all of the gritty details of what I had to do as a soldier. That wasn't who I was. That was not the person I wanted her to know and think of moving forward. I knew that one day the truth would come out but until then, I didn't want to break the illusion she had created. I'd let her believe whatever she wanted to while we were here. She deserved to have a memory of a good man for a change. I wanted to be that person - no matter how selfish that was of me.

I broke the kiss and asked, "Been thinking about that a lot, have you?"

She smirked. "I didn't want to believe those rumors but you never denied them."

"And I will continue to let them believe what they choose to believe. I'll never tell them the truth," I stated. "And you shouldn't either."

She held up her right hand. "Scout's honor. Not a word from me." I leaned forward to kiss her again but she stopped me by asking, "What are we going to do about Lerner?"

My heart sank. I blinked back the drunken daze I was in. "I kind of forgot he was here, to be honest," I admitted, stepping away from her. "With everything that's been happening lately, it sort of slipped my mind. I need to speak with Sink."

"Sink?" she asked, confused. "Why?" I could hear her fear rising.

I held her gaze. "For this to work, it's best if you don't know the plan."

"But-" she started to protest.

I cut her off. "Just trust me with this," I reassured her. "I know just what to do." I knew that she wouldn't let this go, so I turned and left.

I had never felt myself sober up as quickly as I did until that moment. The second she spoke about Lerner, all the effects of the alcohol I had consumed disappeared. I had a job to do and I needed to get the game staged for the big finale.


	19. Hear Me Now

The next morning, I had entered HQ, I sought out Sink. I began to form inside my head the plan that I would present to him. I had to make sure that I handled this as delicately as possible. If the wrong person caught wind of this, it would destroy everything. I couldn't take the chance. Nurse Banks' life hung in the balance. I refused to let her suffer because of an error on my part.

Sink spotted me and motioned for me to follow him. "You wanted to see me, Captain?"

I nodded, falling into step with him. "I did, sir."

"You can ride with me," he informed me. "We're heading out to Austria." He marched us right up to his Jeep. He waved his driver out and climbed into the driver seat. I followed his lead and sat in the front next to him.

We watched as the men climbed into the trucks. I spotted Nurse Banks, hair still tucked under her helmet as she climbed into a truck behind Webster. I kept my eyes locked on her until the trucks began to pull out.

Sink tossed the Jeep into gear and started down the road. We were finally alone and I could tell him what weighed heavily on my mind. "Sir?" I began. "I have some disturbing information."

He glanced at me. "Go on."

I began, "I believe there is a spy working within our ranks-"

"That's quite an accusation, son," he warned me. "Who are you accusing?"

I swallowed before admitting, "Before I tell you who I believe it to be, I want you to understand the story fully." He looked over at me. "I want you to know all of the details and how dangerous this is for certain people in our Division."

I had his attention now. He mulled over my words, carefully deciding on how he wanted to handle this. "Very well."

I told him everything without naming people. I gave him the evidence as I had it. I explained how I came to the conclusion that this person was controlling situations to get what they wanted. By the time I had finished laying almost all of my cards out on the table, he seemed tense.

He asked, "Who is the target? Who is the spy after?"

I countered, "Who do you think it is, sir?"

Sink pulled his cigar from his mouth, holding it between his fingers as he steered the Jeep. "If I had to guess based on your story, I'd put my money on Nurse Banks."

"Yes sir," I confirmed.

Sink nodded as he continued to mull over the information I gave him. He asked, "And the spy?"

I paused, hoping that I didn't have to spell it out for him but Battalion was too large for him to be able to pick one man out. "I believe it is Robert Lerner, sir."

Sink gripped the steering wheel tightly. I could see him thinking hard over the interactions he had with the man. He blew out an exaggerated sigh. "It makes sense," he stated. "He has been asking about the nurses quite a bit, more so now that the war is nearing its end." His voice trailed for a moment before asking, "What do you suggest we do?"

"I think we need to wait until he makes a move," I told him. "He might have a contingency plan set in place for preemptive strikes against him. And besides that, one of his brothers is with the nurse within the Seaborne Division. We can't risk her life, not to mention the nurse back in England who might have eyes on her too."

"There's no way of knowing, is there?" Sink replied, finally understanding the severity of the circumstance. He asked, "Are you're certain he's after Nurse Banks?"

"Yes sir," I told him. "I was there when a spy infiltrated our lines in Bastogne. He had tried to take Nurse Banks back with him to his line."

"And what happened to him?" Sink asked. "And why am I just finding out about this now?"

I gritted my teeth before saying, "I didn't make the connection until after the fact but that man's name was also Lerner."

Sink slammed his hand against the steering wheel upon hearing Lerner's name. "Damn," he muttered. "I'm going to put you in charge of handling this, Ron...but we need to make sure that we look into the rest of these charges."

"Understand, sir," I replied.

"We'll start by getting confirmation from Nurse Sanderson back in England," he explained. "You said that she's the one who's been in constant contact with all of the nurses?"

"Yes, sir," I confirmed.

Sink nodded. "I'll send word to her as soon as we arrive in Austria. The moment she can confirm to me what you've told me, I'll have men look into the records of the other Divisions."

I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. It felt good knowing that Sink was on the same page as me and would be looking into the details that my contact back in Battalion didn't have access to.

Sink asked, "Are you sure that it's wise to let Robert continue with his normal routines?"

I nodded. "If we expose him now, he could retaliate and it might be too late for the others. We should wait and see what he does over the next few days."

Sink sighed heavily again. "Very well," he replied. "I'll leave it in your capable hands."

After arriving at our next location, I moved my things into my new office. It wasn't much longer before I had men knocking on my door to inform me about the whereabouts of one of the men responsible for the camps. He lived up on the hill nearby in a small shack.

Images of the camps returned to me. I saw the prisoners inside, barely standing. I saw Nurse Banks sobbing before the gates. I found myself growing angry as I thought back over it.

The door to my office opened and Nurse Banks stopped mid-stride. Her eyes darted around the room at us before stepping out to allow us to finish our conversation.

I ordered, "Take Moone, Leibgott, and Sisk with you. Find him and eliminate him."

"Yes sir," the man stated, turning to leave.

I saw Nurse Banks' eyes land on me, stunned by the order I had just given. She entered the office and asked, "What was that all about?"

"German officers have fingered a man who was running one of the camps we found," I told her. I could see the look of shock and disappointment wash over her face. "This is something that has to be done, Emmeline. I don't like it either but I can't get that image of those people in those cages out of my head."

I saw a variety of emotions wash over her features as she thought back on those memories. I saw the tears forming behind her eyes as she stared at me. I could see that she agreed with my order but couldn't bring herself to admit that she agreed with it.

To let her off the hook, I cleared my throat, asking, "Have you seen Robert Lerner?"

She shook her head. "No, not yet."

"He's heading out this way from Berchtesgaden," I informed her. "Says he has business out here."

"What business?" she asked. I couldn't tell if she was playing aloof or if she simply didn't know.

I shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine but I have a feeling it has something to do with you."

She nodded slowly. "I figured as much."

I walked around my desk. I stopped before her. "Speaking of you," I began. "Have you been sleeping?"

She glanced up at me, dark circles under her eyes. She looked worse for wear. "No," she admitted. "Not since Robert made his appearance in Berchtesgaden."

"You're not going to survive without sleep," I told her.

"I know," she replied. "I know that but I can't get over the idea of him coming for me while I'm asleep."

I whispered, "There's nothing to worry about right now." I held her stare as I added, "Go get some sleep. I'll come find you when it's time."

She shifted uncomfortably in her place. I could see the hesitation behind her eyes. I could see the unease in her eyes and I knew that there'd be no way for me to comfort and reassure her that things would be all right.

I watched as she walked out of my office. I hoped that she'd listen to my words and trust that I'd be there for her no matter what - as I had this whole time.

After a few hours of not seeing Nurse Banks, I had gone to check up on her. She was still dead asleep. She didn't even hear me enter her house. I wasn't even that quiet about my entrance either. I decided to let her sleep and check on her again later.

During that time, I wrote to Nurse Sanderson to give her the heads up that Colonel Sink would be contacting her in regards to her correspondence with the other nurses, including Nurse Banks. I explained the situation carefully and told her that she needed to tell the truth to Sink.

After I sent the letter out, Sink had entered the mail depot behind me to send his along. Sink continued to ask me carefully if I was sure that this plan on mine was the way to handle the ordeal. I could see his doubts and the hesitation that it would work. I kept firm that this was how it should be taken care of at this moment in time.

Early the next morning, Robert Lerner and a couple of other men from Battalion had arrived. I watched him carefully from a distance to see what he was planning on doing. He made his rounds around the town, asking questions to some of the men but never outright asked about Nurse Banks. I decided that I had to check on her and see if she was okay.

I entered Nurse Banks' house and climbed the stairs to her bedroom. I sat next to her on the edge of the bed. For the first time in quite a while, she looked peaceful. She looked like nothing was wrong in the world. She looked safe and content and it pained me to have to break her out of that safety net.

I gently shook her awake. Her eyes began to open, blinking away the brightness of the day. She glanced over to meet my gaze.

I smiled at her. "Welcome back."

"Morning," she said groggily. "What time is it?"

"It's almost noon," I told her.

"Wow," she gasped. "I slept for a couple of hours and I feel so rested-"

I corrected her as she sat up to stretch, "It's Wednesday."

"What?" she asked, stunned. "How is that possible?"

"You slept for a full day," I informed her. "This is why you can't go without sleep."

She rubbed her face with the palms of her hands. "I can't believe I slept that long...what's happened since I was asleep?"

I sighed. "Well, Lerner is here."

"Great," she muttered.

I stood up, allowing her to climb out of the bed. I explained, "He arrived early this morning but I haven't been able to track him down since."

"What do you mean you haven't been able to track him down? Where is he?" she asked, suddenly on edge.

I shook my head. "I'm looking into it."

"So," she started. "What do we do?" She clearly needed reassurance and guidance from me but I couldn't give her any. Not yet.

"I'm sorry," I said. "But just try to keep your head down."

"That's it?" she scoffed. "That's all you've got for me?"

I placed my hands on her tense shoulders. "Trust me as you have before," I told her. "I'm taking care of it."

Eventually, she nodded that she understood but I could see the disappointment in her face. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. She wanted reassurance and comfort. I knew that but I couldn't tell her what was coming.

That evening, I had been informed, as had the rest of the officers, that even though the German forces had surrendered, we still had the looming threat of the Japanese to deal with. We were ordered to watch the newsreel that discussed the continuing war effort as it had been broadcasted to those back home.

When the lights turned on and the reel whirred to a stop, I turned to face Winters. I whispered, "So, when are we going?"

He replied, "We don't have a date yet."

I furrowed my brow. "Are we to tell the men right away?"

Winters nodded. "Some of them will have enough points to go home instead."

Nixon suddenly chimed into the conversation, "Not many if their only medal's the Purple Heart."

Winters nodded solemnly as he continued, "Most of us here will have enough and each of us will have to decide what to do. I don't know how long we're waiting here for orders but I want those veterans who are staying and all new replacements ready to fight - that means rifle ranges. That means daily closed order drills. That means troop reviews but above all, it means physical training. Get your NCOs on it."

He walked away from Nixon and me. Nixon called after him, "They're gonna love you!" We exchanged glances as we headed our separate ways.  
I understood why Winters was ordering these drills and reviews. Since the war began to wane on this end of the world, the men had relaxed. They were no longer on their toes or in the best of shape. We had to start over again and prepare them for the fight that laid around the corner.

I had a hard decision to make myself. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I couldn't think about that at this moment because I was too focused on what would happen in the coming days with Nurse Banks and Lerner. I felt like that was my task in the present moment. Until that was resolved, I couldn't concentrate on much else.

It wasn't long before we had the ordered ranges and skill drills set up for the men. I spent the better part of my days getting the men back into shape. It created a much-needed distraction from the rest of the problems that floated around in my head and I nearly forgot about Nurse Banks, Lerner, and the war with Japan.

The following evening, I sat outside with Winters, Nixon, and Welsh enjoying a drink when Randleman approached us. "Bull!" Winters called out to him with a smile. "What brings you out this way?"

Randleman glanced at all of us before nodding politely to each of us. "I was wondering if I could speak with y'all for a moment?"

"Of course," Winters said. "You know you don't have to ask."

Randleman paused briefly. "The men have caught wind of your raffle-"

"I told you," Nixon interrupted. "No one can keep a secret around here..." Welsh snorted as he took a big gulp of his drink.

I held Randleman's gaze. Something was bothering him, this much was obvious. I wondered if he had spoken to Nurse Banks lately.

Randleman continued, "We have learned that out of all of us, Shifty ain't got enough points to go home-"

"That's why we're having the raffle," Nixon interrupted.

Randleman nodded. "The men are withdrawing their names so that Shifty can go home."

"What?" Nixon gasped, stunned.

I furrowed my brow at the revelation.

Randleman added, "No one deserves to go home more than Shifty."

"You're asking us to rig the raffle?" Winters asked.

"It ain't riggin' if we withdraw," Randleman pointed out. I smirked at the fact that he had found a loophole in the process.

Winters smiled at him before smacking his back. "We'll take care of it, Randleman."

"Thank you, sirs," he said, saluting all of us. He turned and marched away, standing proud like a peacock.

I turned my amused gaze over to Winters. "Shall I get it drawn up then?"

Winters nodded. "I'll leave it to you."


	20. Heathens

The next morning before the raffle, I stood in my office, finishing writing Shifty's name and serial number onto a piece of paper. Just as I folded the paper up, a knock landed on my door causing my eyes to lift to see who had joined me. I blinked as my eyes fixated on Robert Lerner.

"Can I help you?" I asked him, face void of emotion. I dropped the pen back to my desk.

Lerner stepped inside. "Am I interrupting something?"

I shook my head. "No," I told him. "I'm just getting the men's raffle ready."

Lerner nodded with a charismatic smile. He picked up the empty helmet that sat on my desk. "Just getting started?" he asked.

I held up the folded paper slip. "Just finished, actually."

Lerner's face twitched in confusion. "Finished?" he repeated. "Where are all the papers?"

"Just the one."

"Oh?" he asked.

I nodded. "The men took a vote on who they wanted to send home," I stated. "They handed me the paper this morning."

"Who is the lucky man?" Lerner asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"You haven't looked?" he balked at me. I could tell that he didn't believe me.

I took the helmet and dropped the paper inside. "They asked that it be kept secret so those who voted for someone else wouldn't be upset."

Lerner stared at me. I remained calm in composure and he nodded. "I see," he replied. "That sounds like an admirable choice." He turned to leave before stopping. "I look forward to the raffle."

I nodded at him. Before Lerner had a chance to leave, a Private knocked on my door. "Sir? Sink was looking for you."

"Thank you," I told the man. I set the helmet down on my desk. "If you'll excuse me-"

"Of course," he said with a sly smile. "Don't let me keep you."

I turned and headed for Sink's office. Just as I entered his office and turned to close the door, I spotted Lerner turning back into my office. I narrowed my eyes as I closed the door.

I turned around to see Sink eyeing me. "You wanted to see me, Sir?"

Sink leaned against the front of his desk, arms crossed over his chest. "How's it going with the Lerner boy?"

"I'm still working on it, sir," I told him.

"I'd like an update if you wouldn't mind," he explained. "I've already reached out to Miss Sanderson. She corroborated what you've said before about them. I have men within Battalion working round the clock to carefully dig up information about him and his brothers."

I nodded. "I'm glad you're working on some aspects-"

"And what are you working on?" he pushed.

I stood firm. "I'm afraid that I can't tell you much at this moment," I explained. "If my suspicions are true, you'll know more after the raffle."

Sink narrowed his eyes at me. "Why after the raffle?"

"You'll see," I told him. I reached for the door.

"Ron?" Sink called out to me. I glanced over my shoulder and he added, "Tread lightly here. It's not your life that hangs in the balance."

I nodded and opened the door. I crossed the room back to my office. I didn't have a chance to check what Lerner had done - if anything - because the raffle was due to start. The men should be gathering now. I grabbed the helmet from my desk and checked to make sure that the paper remained inside.

Outside, I scanned the group of men who had gathered. There were some men who clearly didn't realize that the raffle was rigged. Their faces were still holding onto the hope that they'd be the lucky one chosen.

I spotted Nurse Banks hidden within the ranks of the men. If it wasn't for Webster, I would have skipped over her. She blended in perfectly. I glanced over to where Lerner stood. His eyes were scanning the group over and over again, searching for her. What concerned me the most, however, was the big grin on his face. Even if he didn't have sights on her, he clearly had something up his sleeve based on that smile.

I had given the helmet to Welsh to hold. I reached inside, pretended to stir the paper slips around before removing the only one that was in there. I shouted loudly for the group to hear, "The lucky winner is..." I opened the paper and blinked at the name.

It wasn't in my handwriting and it didn't say Shifty's number. Instead, it had Emmeline's name. I glanced back up to the group, knowing that everyone was watching me. I shouted, "Darrell Powers!"

The men cheered, slapping the kid's back and congratulating him. My eyes darted over to Lerner. He stormed away from the group in a hurry. I could tell by his body language just how angry he was that his plan had been foiled. It didn't take me long to realize that he had hoped that I would read the name off and out Nurse Banks.

I turned my gaze to Sink. I could see the lingering question on his expression. I nodded and started for his office for that much-needed chat.

The second I entered Sink's office, he ordered, "Close the door." I shut the door behind me and he asked, "Want to tell me what the hell is going on?"

I explained, "The raffle was rigged-"

"What!?" Sink shouted angrily.

I motioned for him to calm down as I continued, "We knew the raffle was rigged - that's not the issue."

"Then tell me what the issue is!" Sink demanded to know.

It never occurred to me just how impatient the man had become over the years. I held in a laugh as I explained, "I had one piece of paper in that helmet. It was supposed to read Shifty's name." I pulled the paper from my pocket and opened it up before passing it over to Sink. "Instead, this was what was inside."

Sink took the paper from me. "And you didn't write this?"

I shook my head. "I specifically wrote Shifty's information down."

Sink tapped the paper against his desk. "And you think he set this up?"

I shrugged. "I can't say for certain but I believe so," I admitted. "When you called me in here before the raffle, Lerner had come to see me. He was still in my office when I closed the door here. The way he took off after the raffle makes me believe he was behind the name shift."

Sink took in what I was saying and mulled it over. Finally, he asked, "So what are you planning on doing now? Do we make our move to arrest him?"

I shook my head. "It's too soon," I said. "Besides, this could be easily excused. We need more proof."

Sink ran a hand through his salt and peppered colored hair. I could see his frustrations - they mirrored mine. "Very well," he said. "Keep me up to date."

"Yes sir," I said, turning and exiting his office.

My next stop that evening would be to check in with Nurse Banks. I stood outside her house and glanced up to her window. All the lights were off and I paused, unsure if I should check on her. I wondered if she was sleeping.

I saw movement in the upstairs window. I couldn't take the chance of whether or not the movement belonged to Lerner or Miss Banks. I headed for the back door. I reached for the knob; locked. I knocked on the door.

When the door opened, Nurse Banks stood at the ready to swing a fireplace poker at me. I held her gaze before turning my attention to the raised poker. I asked, "Miss Banks?"

She sighed, lowering the poker. "What are you doing here?"

I brushed by her and looked around. "Are you all right?"

She put the poker back on its stand. "Yeah, you startled me."

"Sorry about that," I said. "I saw you standing at your window and figured that I could talk to you for a moment." I crossed the room to bridge the gap between us.

"Talk to me about what?" she asked, turning to face me. She was somewhat startled to see me behind her.

I held her gaze. "We had the raffle rigged from the start."

"What do you mean?" she asked, clearly not connecting the dots yet.

"Shifty was one of the few men who didn't have enough points to go home," I explained. "We rigged it so that he could go home."

She nodded slowly, still not on the same page as me. "Okay, so what's the problem?"

"There was only one piece of paper in that helmet," I continued. "It was supposed to say Shifty's name but that wasn't the name on the paper."

She blinked at me. "Whose name was?"

I sighed. "Yours."  
"Mine?" she asked, taken aback.

I nodded. "It wasn't anyone's handwriting that we recognized," I told her. "After seeing your name, I think I know what happened."

Suddenly the light went on in her head. "Robert."

I nodded again, thankful that she finally caught up.

She sighed, rubbing her temple with her fingers. "He was smiling at the raffle like he knew something that no one else did," she recalled. "I think maybe he wanted my name called so that he could finally get me out in the open...finally see me."

I nodded again. "That's what I think too," I told her. "He's starting to get desperate."

She shuddered. "What do we do?"

"I'm still working on that," I said, grabbing her shoulders gently to hold her gaze.

"When are you going to tell me what your plan is?" she asked.

I released my hold on her and headed for the door. "When this is all over."

"Wait!" she called after me. I paused at the door and she added, "Stay, please?"

I glanced over my shoulder at her. I wanted to stay with her - God knew that I wanted to but I knew that if I did, there'd be nothing on this earth to get me to leave after the fact. I couldn't stay while Lerner continued to pose a threat. I finally forced myself to say the most painful thing that I could at that moment, "I can't. I have things to do."

She lowered her head and whispered, "I'm scared..."

"I know you are," I whispered back, watching her pain. "Just hold on a little longer."

I forced myself to turn the knob, open the door, and leave the house - leave her behind.

The next morning, I had been informed that Shifty had been involved in an accident. On his trip home, he had been in a head-on collision and was ejected through the windshield. I was told that he would survive but faced a difficult road of surgeries and therapy.

I found out where the driver of the other vehicle was and paid him a visit with Colonel Sink in tow. It didn't take me long to get answers out of him. He had so much pain medication on board that he told me things he probably didn't realize he was telling me.

Sink began to realize just how dangerous this Lerner situation was becoming. He told me that I needed to wrap it up soon or else someone would truly die by this man's hand. I asked him to be patient just a little while longer. Despite his better judgment, he agreed with me.

I returned from the visit with the other driver and was informed that Private Janovec had been involved in an accident as well.

I knew that Doc Roe had been informed of the accident, so I headed over to the med station to collect him. We needed to head out to greet the ambulance.

I entered the med station and spotted Nurse Banks speaking with Doc Roe. "Are you ready to go, Doc?" I asked.

The two of them glanced over in my direction. Her eyes connected with me. I could see the sadness behind her eyes, even from across the room.

Roe nodded, heading towards me. As he passed me, I added, "I'll be right there." The moment Roe had left the building, I looked at Nurse Banks and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I just heard about Shifty-" she began, voice cracking.

I cut her off. "Yeah, he was fortunate to survive." I glanced over my shoulder to make sure we were still alone. I turned back to her and said, "I talked to the driver of the other vehicle. He was ordered to hit that truck head-on."

"Ordered?" she asked, confused. "Who would give such an ord..." her voice drifted off. She placed her head in her hands as the realization washed over her.

I told her, "If that had been you in that vehicle, you might not have survived." She sniffled, trying to keep the tears from falling. I knew that telling her the truth would cause this kind of reaction but she needed to know. It broke my heart to see her pain, her anxiety, and her guilt over this. I couldn't take it any longer, so I turned and left.

By the time I joined Doc Roe by the ambulance, the men who brought Janovec in were covering the kid up with a blanket.

"He was dead when they brought him in," the medic stated.

I sighed, hands on my hips. The war was all but over, yet we were still losing men. It didn't make sense to me.

Webster muttered, "75 points."

"What?" I asked, turning to face him.

Webster's face was pale as he looked up at me. "He was 10 points short," Webster stated before pushing the body of Private Janovec back inside the ambulance.

I watched as the ambulance drove away with the dead. I hoped that this was the last of these sorts of incidents. I was getting tired of seeing good men wind up dead from accidents.

I decided to take the long way back to my office. I needed space and air to think. By the time I returned to my office, I didn't have any answers or clarification on matters as I hoped for.

I sat down behind my desk and began writing the letter for Janovec's family. I stared at the paper before finally forcing myself to write. I had just seen the kid the other day. I had him doing tasks for me. He was another one of those kids that had been too young to die, yet they were killed.

As the evening rolled around, I had finished writing several letters for home. I tossed the somewhat large stack of letters into the bin for mailing. I rubbed my face with my hands as I leaned back into my chair, letting loose a heavy sigh.

I heard the door to the building slam open, followed by heavy footsteps. The sounds told me that whatever was going on was dire. I bolted to my feet. I snatched my coat and hat. I could feel the weight of my sidearm still safely tucked in the coat. I threw them on and stepped out of my office.

The second my door opened, I was face to face with some Easy Company replacements. They looked terrified. My face hardened. Something was very wrong. "What is it?"

"Come quick, sir!" one of the men said, trembling slightly. "It's Grant! He's been shot!"

"Shot? By whom?" I asked, following them outside as quickly as they had entered.

The men shook their heads. "I think he was a replacement in a different Company."

I gritted my teeth, balling my hands into fists. "Where is Grant?" I demanded to know, heading quickly for the med station.

"We've got him protected where he was shot," the man stated. "We had no way of moving him-"

I burst into the med station, startling everyone inside. I pointed to Doc Roe. "I need your help now! Grant's been shot! Let's go!"

I didn't wait for him as I turned and headed outside. Whoever did this to Grant was going to pay. I would make sure that I would track this man down and put a bullet between his eyes. Grant was practically a saint. He deserved better than this. I was tired of losing men in this sense. I refused to let it happen to him.

I jumped into the Jeep and watched as Roe ran towards the Jeep with a stretcher and other supplies. He climbed into the back of the Jeep and the man drove us back to the scene of the accident.

When we arrived, I jumped out of the Jeep before it stopped moving. I rushed over to where Grant laid. I could see two other men in German uniforms laying in the middle of the road. I didn't bother to check them. I didn't care enough to.

"What happened?" I asked the man who remained behind with Grant.

"Some asshole replacement shot him!" the man said, stifling sobs.

I glared at the man. "Stop that! He's still alive! You can mourn him if he dies but not before!"

Roe dropped the stretcher to the ground and began setting up an IV for Grant. We helped Roe move Grant onto the stretcher and lifted him to the back of the Jeep.

Roe stated, "We need to see the surgeon. He'll be able to tell us if he can save him."

I nodded that I understood. I could feel the pit of anguish building in my stomach. I always liked Grant. We didn't speak much to one another but he was a good soldier. I was beginning to fear that he wouldn't survive.

I kicked myself internally, reprimanding myself for thinking negatively about the situation. I couldn't give up on Grant - not now.

The ride to the Regimental Surgeon's office didn't take long at all. We hopped out and carried Grant inside. I held Grant's hand as the surgeon's eyes lifted to meet ours as we entered. He pointed to a table. "Put him here!"

We set Grant down and the man began his quick examination. He had a cigarette hanging from his lips. He sighed, standing up straight, replacing the gauze back over the wound. "Jesus..."

"What?" I asked.

"He's not going to make it," the man stated.

Roe asked, "You can't operate on him?"

"No," the man stated. "Not me. He's going to need a brain surgeon. And even if you had one, I don't think there's any hope."

It took every ounce of my being to keep from beating this man to a pulp. I wanted him to try. I wanted him to look Grant in the eye and tell him that he had given up before even attempting to try.

Instead, I turned to Talbert who had joined us at the surgeon's. "Find the shooter. I want him alive!" I turned to Roe and said, "Come on, help me."

"What are you doing?" Roe asked as he helped me carry Grant's stretcher back outside to the Jeep.

"Gonna find a brain surgeon!" I told him as we rushed back outside.

We put Grant on the back of the Jeep and climbed in again. I asked, "Isn't there a Kraut surgeon nearby?"

Roe nodded. "Yeah, I know where he is..." He gave the instructions to the driver who moved us out towards the house of the doctor.

It didn't take us long before we arrived. I was no longer in the mood for games. I knew that Grant was running out of time - time he didn't have. I was tired of getting the run-around. I wanted answers. I wanted effort.

I knocked hard on the door to the surgeon's house. I continued to pound on the door until the lights inside turned on. I withdrew my handgun and waited. When the curtains parted away from the window to the door, I tapped on the glass with my gun. "Open up!"

The door slowly began to open. I grew angrier and more impatient. I forced the door open and ordered, "Come with me."

"Why?" the doctor asked, taken aback at my behavior.

"Get in the Jeep," I pleaded with him, still aiming my gun at him.

The doctor cautiously grabbed his housecoat and pulled it on. He reluctantly followed me towards the Jeep. "Where are we going?"

"To the hospital. Get in," I ordered him again.

The doctor looked at Grant before turning his eyes back to me, then my gun. "If you're going to shoot me, shoot me. If you're not, then put the gun away."

"Get in the Jeep. Now," I begged again. My emotions were starting to get the better of me.

The doctor turned his attention back to Grant and began to look over his wounds. "What happened to him?"

"Shot in the head," Roe informed him.

"Half hour ago," I added. Finally growing tired of what felt like the man's stalling, I nudged him with my gun, trying to move him faster. "Come on."

"If you want him to live, you'll help me," the man began. "First by putting that away." He motioned to my gun.

I sighed heavily, holstering my sidearm. I spoke in barely a whisper, "Let's go."

The doctor stated, "Let me drive. We'll get there faster."

Desperate for the help, I allowed the man to climb into the driver seat. I climbed in next to him and he finally began to drive towards the hospital.

The next couple of hours blurred together. I paced in the hospital awaiting news from the German surgeon. When he finally did emerge, he was covered in blood from the surgery.

I asked, "How is he?"

The surgeon nodded. "He'll live," he told me. "It's lucky that you brought him to me when you did. If you had waited, it might have been a different story."

I swallowed hard. I blinked back the emotion as I stepped forward, hand outstretched. The doctor looked at my hand in stunned silence before meeting my eyes again. He shook my hand and I said, "Thank you, doctor."

The man was surprised by my gesture. I nodded my thanks again as we released our hold.

"Sir?" a voice spoke behind me. I turned my attention away from the doctor to the man approaching me. "We found him."

I started to follow the man outside. "Where is he?"

"We've got him secured at the hotel nearby," the man explained.

My face hardened as I marched to the Jeep. I began to put together a plan of action on how to handle this. I wanted the man to die. I didn't care about the ramifications that would come from it. It would be justified.

We pulled up to the hotel and I stormed inside. I spotted Nurse Banks first. Her startled expression met my angry one. She asked, "Did you find him?"

"They found the asshole," I told her. It didn't dawn on me that she didn't mean the replacement that shot Grant. She had meant the doctor to operate on Grant. Either way, I said what I said and I had a job to do.

I could hear her following after me. I entered the next room and saw Talbert and Luz playing cards. Talbert shot up to his feet upon my approach. I asked, "Where is he?"

Talbert deflected. "How's Grant?"

"Where is he?" I asked again, turning my gaze around the room.

"Is he okay?" Talbert asked, deflecting again.

I finally snapped. I shouted, "Where is he?!"

The look of fear that washed over Talbert, Luz, and Nurse Banks was apparent. At this moment, I didn't care what they thought of me. I wanted the man responsible and I didn't want anyone to hold me back from it.

I could hear the men beating up someone in the other room. I turned away from Talbert and headed that way. I burst through the door suddenly, startling every man inside.

Bound in a chair sat a bloodied man, eyes were swollen and bleeding, nose was broken. Every man inside stepped away from the man to give me space. I asked, "This him?"

Bull bravely spoke up, "That's him. Replacement. I Company."

I glared at the man through narrowed eyes. "Where's the weapon?"

The bloodied replacement asked, "What weapon?"

Pure rage boiled through my veins. I took my sidearm and smacked the butt across the man's face, sending bloody spit across the room. The men nearby backed away even more.

I spat, "When you talk to an officer, you say 'sir'." I could hear the replacement whimpering in fear. It angered me even more that this coward and piss-poor excuse of a man who sat there before me was responsible for Grant's near-death experience. I cocked my sidearm and aimed it at the man's face, between the eyes.

"Are you sure this is the right guy?" Nurse Banks asked. Her voice trembled slightly as she tried to reason with me. I blinked in response as I held the man's gaze, gun still aimed at the man. My hand trembled as I took in her question.

"Are you sure this is the guy?" she asked again softly.

Doubt suddenly crept in. I was so blinded by what had happened with Grant that I didn't know if this really was him or not. The men stated that it was him. I had no reason to doubt them.

What stopped me from shooting the man was the fact that Emmeline stood behind me, watching me closely. If I pulled the trigger - and God knew that I wanted to - she would see me turn into the monster that everyone painted me to be. I would end up losing her if I pulled the trigger. The question I had to ask myself at the moment was if this coward was worth losing the best thing to happen to me.

Before I had a chance to make the choice on my own, another friend of Grant's burst into the room, gun aimed at the replacement. He shouted, "You son of a bitch! I've killed better men than you!"

The men grabbed at him, trying to keep him from shooting the bound man. The gun misfired. I saw the look of pure fear wash over the replacement's face the second the gun misfired. As the replacement began sobbing in his chair, I wiped his blood off of my hand onto his shoulder.

I turned to the men and ordered, "Have the MPs take care of this piece of shit."

My gaze landed on a stunned Nurse Banks. I holstered my sidearm and told her, "I need to speak to you." I grabbed her arm and started to lead her out of the building.

One of the men asked, "Is Grant dead?"

I stopped, glancing back over my shoulder. "He's going to make it. Kraut doc fixed him up." After that, I continued outside, pulling Nurse Banks along with me.

Once we got outside, I continued to lead her across the yard towards my office. She asked, "What are you doing?"

I could feel her trying to break free of my hold. I didn't say a word until we were in the safety of my office. Once inside, I released my hold on her. "Why did you stop me?"

She furrowed her brow at me. "Why didn't you shoot him?"

I hung my head in defeat. "I guess there was some doubt that it was the right guy."

"I don't think anyone would have blamed you for shooting him," she said. "Even if he wasn't the right guy but I just didn't want that on your conscious if he was the wrong man."

Hearing her say that told me that I didn't deserve her. Even in my weakest and darkest moment, she knew exactly what to say. I whispered, "I was worried for Grant...that man is the closest thing we have to a saint...I just lost it when I heard that he had been shot in the head by one of our own."

She closed the gap between us, wrapping her arms around me, embracing me tightly. "I know," she whispered. "We all share your feelings."

I pulled her closer to me, burying my nose into her hair. I was comforted immediately by the smell of honeysuckles. I fought the tears that threatened to come.

She finally pulled away from me, creating some distance and asked, "Is he really going to be okay?"

I nodded. "Kraut doc is the best brain surgeon there is. He said Grant was lucky."

Before our conversation could continue, Sink entered the room. He pointed to me and said, "I'd like to have a word with you about what happened involving Sergeant Grant."

I nodded, stepping towards the door. I turned back to look at her. "Wait for me downstairs. I'm not finished with you."

It took me an hour to update and inform Colonel Sink on what happened since Grant had been shot. Sink informed me that this replacement was found trying to rape a local girl. The men had found him in the act and beat him bloody for doing so. I gritted my teeth, wishing I had just shot the bastard.

When the conversation with Sink ended, I marched down to where Nurse Banks was still waiting. She looked up at me and asked, "How'd it go?

"Pretty rough."

"What'd he say?"

"Told me I should have shot the son of a bitch," I replied. I suddenly wished that I had - especially after learning about everything the man had done before we got a hold of him and because it seemed like I would have been forgiven for doing so.

What I didn't tell her was that part of the conversation with Sink had been regarding Lerner. I told him that I had been informed that some of the German soldiers that had been brought in recently were believed to have connections to the Lerner boys. I wanted to interrogate them in the first thing in the morning.


	21. Heartbeats In Quiet Rooms

The next morning, I had ordered that the new German soldiers be brought into my office. Colonel Sink decided to join me for my interrogation.

Sink stated, "I am planning on remaining silent while you do whatever it is that you feel that you need to do. I am simply here as another pair of eyes and ears."

I nodded my thanks to him. "I appreciate it, sir."

"I hope you are right, Ron," he told me. "This has gone on long enough."

"I doubt you'll be disappointed," I said, hoping that I wasn't lying to him.

The soldiers were brought into my office and the door closed behind them. I motioned to the chairs and asked them to sit down. They obliged and were clearly uncomfortable about where this meeting was going to go.

I folded my hands together, resting on the desk. "I bet you are ready to go home." The men smiled, clearly understanding English. I asked, "Sprichst du Englisch?"

The soldiers nodded and one even spoke up, "We know some."

I smiled a fake smile. "That's good. That will make this easier." The men hadn't realized anything to be amiss yet.

I began asking them questions about where they were stationed, who their commanding officers were, and what outfit they were serving with.

Throughout their story, I offered them some food and alcohol. They eagerly accepted. I even gave them a pack of smokes each, which they were very thankful for.

I removed a photo of Nurse Sarah Morgan. I handed it off to one of the men and asked, "Do you recognize her?"

The look on their faces told me everything I needed to know without them having to utter a word. They shifted in their seats, meeting my gaze. They even glanced over to Sink, silently asking him for help. Sink simply sat there with his arms crossed over his chest, eyeing them darkly.

One of them asked, "If we tell you, will you show us mercy?"

"Mercy from what?" I asked.

"We want to go home-"

"And you will," I explained. "As soon as you answer all of my questions. I need to know what you know."

"No punishments?" the man asked.

I wanted to laugh but nodded. "No punishments. If you tell me everything I want to know - no lies - I will see to it that you are driven home personally."

The men perked up at the thought of being driven back home in a vehicle rather than walking. They agreed to tell me the details.

"This woman was a mistake," one of them said.

The other nodded. "We had no idea you had brought so many women with you."

I furrowed my brow. "Explain."  
"Your men who had this woman with them," one began. "Were ambushed. We were ordered to track down this woman for our Captain."

"This woman?" I asked, pointing to the picture.

"Turns out she wasn't the woman Captain wanted," the second clarified.

I gritted my teeth and held up another photo. This one of Charlotte. "Was it her?"

They blinked at the photo, smiles forming on their lips. "She is quite beautiful..."

"Is that the woman you were sent for?" I asked.

They shook their heads. "We've never seen her before."

I lifted up another photo; this one of Emmeline. "What about her?"

They stared at the photo and recognition washed over their faces. "That's the girl we were ordered to find."

"So," I began. "The girl you found..." I pointed to Nurse Morgan's photo. "When you realized your mistake, what happened?"

"Our Captain ordered us to kill her," the second man stated. "The girl fought back, tried to run away...we had no choice."

I crossed my arms across my chest, trying to keep myself from reaching across the desk and strangling the men. "What about Bastogne? Were you there?"

They shook their heads. "Not personally," the first man began. "We had another unit placed behind your lines."

"Looking for the same girl?" I questioned.

They nodded. "We sent scouts out to find her and all but one came back."

The memories came rushing back to me. I knew that the spy I had killed was part of that unit they were speaking of. I decided not to tell them what happened to their friend. I wanted their cooperation.

"What is the name of your Captain? Who was running this operation?" I asked. They hesitated. I reminded them, "If you want that ride home, no punishments, then I suggest you answer the question."  
The first one sighed. "He's an American boy - like you."

"Not like me," I spat. "I fought for my country."

"So did he," the man told me. "He said he had to join our ranks to find this woman who was a threat to his country."

"Did it ever occur to you how stupid that sounded?" I asked.

They nodded. "He outranked us," the man replied. "We believed him - had to believe him."

"What was his name?" I pushed. I needed a name. I knew that in order for us to have confirmation on what was going on all this time, I needed a name.

The hesitation returned before they finally broke down. "Lerner was his name," the second one said. "He had brothers all over the place. Some in your Seaborne, some back home, some with us, and even in your Battalion."

"Did they speak to one another often?" I asked.

They shrugged. "They spoke some," the first man admitted. "I used to run the mail delivery sometimes... I'd see post from the Americans come through but never looked at it."

"How many of these Lerner boys are still alive?" I asked. Sink stood up straight. I wondered what was going on in that head of his.

The men thought for a moment. "I think... maybe three?"

"Four?" the other man offered with a shrug.

I nodded. "And do you happen to know their names?"

The two exchanged glances. "We don't know all of their names, no. We do know that our Captain went by James and he had a brother Murray."

I tossed the dog tag that had fallen into my hand the day that Nurse Banks was nearly killed by the spy in Bastogne. Sink caught it. It was Murray Lerner's dog tag.

Sink muttered a curse under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Did they say why they were after this woman?" I asked.

Finally, they spilled all the secrets that we had hoped for and more. We knew that the Lerners were being controlled by Robert, being placed into key locations throughout the war in hopes of tracking Nurse Banks down. The men had explained that their Captain, James had a particular disdain for Miss Banks and often spoke negatively about her to those under him.

These men explained that James often sounded like a man possessed in how he viewed Nurse Banks. They admitted that they often feared what would become of the woman should anyone ever find her. One of the men told me that despite hearing the stories through James Lerner, they simply didn't understand why the woman had to die. None of them agreed but were being ordered to do these tasks.

One thing had become obvious through their monologue and that was the fact that they were terrified of Robert Lerner. They believed that if they failed at doing everything they were ordered to do, Robert Lerner would find them and kill - not just them - but their families as well.

Sink had ordered the MPs to track down James Lerner from our German 'guests' and bring him in. It didn't take long for them to follow those orders. The moment James Lerner was escorted into the office, he tensed. His eyes landed on the two soldiers he commanded before turning towards Sink and me.

I held the younger Lerner's gaze. I narrowed my eyes at him. "As you most likely have figured out, I know everything about what it is you and your brothers are doing here."

James didn't reply. He crossed his arms over his chest like a stubborn teenager. The anger and hatred that washed over his face grew.

I didn't falter. "I'm going to offer you a once in a lifetime opportunity," I began. "And I want you to think very carefully before you answer because it will only be offered once."

James didn't flinch at my words but I could tell that he was listening.

I continued, "If you cooperate in telling me everything regarding your mission, your status, your brothers' plans, your role in it, and even what Miss Banks has against you, I will offer you a lesser punishment." James opened his mouth to say something but I held my hand up to stop him. I added, "Instead of being shot on sight as a traitor to your country, you will instead be handed over to the military for a trial on war crimes and your fate left up to them."

James paused for a moment, thinking things over. I waited. I knew that he was weighing his options carefully. I hoped that what Nurse Banks had told me regarding the Lerner brothers was true. I hoped that James would decide that Robert wasn't worth protecting and would give me all the information I wanted. I already had a pretty compelling case against all the Lerner boys from what the two German soldiers told me.

James inhaled deeply before asking, "What of my brothers?"

"What about them?" I asked.

"If I tell you everything, what happens to them?" he questioned

"You have what? Three brothers still alive?" I asked. He nodded. I sighed. "It depends on how cooperative they are when they're arrested. Robert on the other hand, if he is found to be the ringleader of this operation will face severe punishments."

James's face softened as he debated internally over how best to proceed. Eventually, he nodded. "Fine. I'll tell you everything as long as you can guarantee a lesser punishment for me."

I nodded and began to write down everything he said. He told us about how Miss Banks was part of his family in her youth and how she was practically adopted by his mother which only fueled Robert's disdain for her. He explained some of the abuses and horrors that took place in the wayward home, including the deaths of some of the girls that lived there. He detailed everything about his life back in the States so vividly, it brought the German soldiers to tears.

James explained how Miss Banks escaped one night and they had gone crazy searching for her, living in fear that they would be arrested one night. That's when Robert supposedly started to create this elaborate scheme to hunt her down and kill her like a rabid animal. He detailed every scenario that Robert had come up with for practically every potential situation.

He moved on to explain about the moment they had learned of her joining the military as a volunteer combat nurse. It was then that Robert had sent all but one brother overseas for this war. James admitted that the death of Oswald - the youngest brother - struck a chord with all of the brothers except Robert. Robert admitted that Oswald had started to voice his concerns and regrets in the plan and Robert simply had enough of his complaints. James admitted that Robert had killed his brother to keep the order and his plan afloat.

James explained that while he knew that this plan would most likely result in them getting caught and potentially thrown into jail, he hadn't expected Robert to fixate and obsess to this degree.

I asked James at what point he finally decided that he didn't want to be a part of this plan anymore. He told me that when he learned of Murray's death, he was ready to call it quits. He wondered how many of them had to die in this blind quest of retaliation.

I questioned him about Nurse Morgan. He explained that he had been brought to her unit and he had understood the mistake made. He didn't want to kill Sarah but he knew that if he didn't, Robert would have made her suffer more than if she had been killed outright. When she tried to run away, it made the decision easier for him.

James finally wrapped up his lengthy story by stating that Robert would never let this matter go - he wouldn't let Emmeline live - and would continue to stalk after her until she was dead. James ended it by saying that his mother wouldn't be able to rest until Robert was dead.

Sink had finally had enough. He ordered them safe passage home and an escort to make sure the German men arrived back into the loving arms of their families in one piece, while James was arrested.

Once those men were gone, Sink demanded that we move out to apprehend Robert Lerner. He believed we had enough evidence to arrest the man. He had already confirmed on his own most of the things these men had shared. There were Lerners all over the place throughout this war. He confirmed the locations of some, the deaths of a couple, and knew that if we didn't move quickly, Nurse Banks would be the next victim in this scheme.

I nodded in agreement. It was time. We had waited long enough and got all of the information necessary to hold him without fear of him finding a loophole to get out of it.

When we left my office, Robert Lerner was not inside HQ. No one had seen him. I ordered a group of men to follow me as we searched for him. Time was running out and I needed to find him before he found Emmeline.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise to me to learn that Robert Lerner had covered his tracks incredibly well. He had managed to speak to just the right people to lead the search parties all over the damned city. We were being led on a wild goose chase and it wasn't until the weather had become ominous that it finally clicked that he had done this.

My search party and I were on the far end of the city when I realized my error. Lerner knew we'd be looking for him - in fact, he was betting on us to look for him. He knew that we'd be out tracking him down and leaving Nurse Banks unattended. My heart stopped and my blood ran cold when I realized that I had fallen into his trap.

I ordered the men to turn around and head back to where Nurse Banks' house sat as quickly as we could. As the storm worsened, my fears became more and more severe - much like the weather.

We neared the house and I ordered two of my men to track down Colonel Sink and bring him back, while another man was ordered to bring back Doc Roe. The rest of the men were to come with me. I wasn't going to take any chances.

Quickly, yet quietly, we entered the house that Nurse Banks was using. I was in the lead. I could hear voices coming from the front living room.

"You're nothing but a bitch! I should have killed you first!" Lerner's voice shouted over the storm.

I motioned for the men to wait as I rounded the corner, gun aimed before me. Lightning lit up the room enough for me to see that Robert Lerner was straddling Nurse Banks, fists bloodied. Nurse Banks looked as though he had just beat her within an inch of her life.

My blood boiled as my hand tightened on the gun, finger slowly wrapping around the trigger.

"I'm getting real tired of you, Emmeline," Lerner spat, slamming her into the floor. Her head fell to the side - towards me.

Her bloody and bruised eyes landed on me. She didn't say a word as she stared at me. I wondered if she thought I was just part of her imagination at this moment.

Robert Lerner pulled a large knife out from his boot, holding it against her collarbone. "Do you have anything else you'd like to say before I gut you?"

The corners of her mouth lifted slightly as she turned to look him in the eye. "Yeah," she croaked. "Burn in Hell."

He shook his head, lifting the knife as he positioned himself to kill her. Hearing her comment to 'burn in hell' was as though she had given me permission to kill him. Even if she hadn't given me permission, Robert Lerner was as good as dead.

I squeezed the trigger. Roaring thunder drowned out the sound of the gun going off. I watched as the bullet passed through his skull before he slumped to the side of her. I lowered the gun and turned to the men that crept around the corner of the room. "Get that piece of shit out of here," I ordered.

While the men followed their orders, picking up the corpse of Robert Lerner, I knelt down beside Nurse Banks. Even in the dark, I could see the severity of her injuries. There was so much blood on her face, it scared me. Her eyes remained closed.

"Emmeline?" I spoke softly, studying her face.

She opened her eyes as best as she could, turning towards me slightly. "You came for me."

"Of course I did," I cooed. "I said that I would always be there for you...why doubt me now?"

She smirked before grimacing slightly. "I was beginning to worry that you were going to be late this time."

"I got here as quickly as I could," I reassured her. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I damned near didn't make it because of Robert's craftiness.

"How'd you know?" she asked. I started to wipe the blood from her lips and face with my fingers.

"I found his brother," I explained, cradling her hand in mine. I carefully brushed her bloody hair out of her face. "The one that was with the German forces and he told me everything in exchange for a lesser punishment. Instead of being shot on sight for being a traitor to his country, he's being turned over to the military for a trial on war crimes. His fate is in their hands."

She blinked at me slowly, taking in my words. "He...ratted out Robert?" I could tell that she didn't believe me by the inflection of her voice.

I nodded. "We were able to get the brother with Anne, too. He's been arrested and tried for treason."

She sighed, body relaxing with relief. I could see years of stress and anxiety washing away from her features.

"One more thing I wanted to tell you," I began, worried that this might not be the right time. Then again, there'd never be a good time for this conversation. She waited for me to continue. I said, "The brother who served with the Germans also informed us of what happened with Sarah."

I could see hints of tears forming behind her bloodied eyes. "What?"

"They thought she was you," I began. "They tried to capture her, take her to Robert but she fought back and ran. They killed her and presented her to the brother but when they discovered that she wasn't you, they left her there."

Her eyes squeezed shut for a moment as though I had just stabbed her myself with Lerner's knife. Suddenly, her eyes flew open and she asked, "What about Charlotte? Were they after her too?"

I shook my head. "She was an unfortunate result of war," I told her. "They weren't responsible for her death."

Her eyes started to flicker closed. She whispered, "What happens now?"

"You get looked at," I whispered back, carefully picking her up into my arms.

I stood up and carried her out of that house. Once I stepped outside into the rain-soaked world around us, Doc Roe had arrived with a Jeep.

"What happened?" he asked, giving her a quick glance over before motioning to the Jeep.

"I'll explain when we get there," I told him. I carefully climbed into the Jeep, continuing to cradle her battered body. I refused to let her go. I refused to let her feel alone again.

Nurse Banks had remained in the hospital for a few days. Not only was she badly beaten - courtesy of Robert Lerner - but she had been completely sleep deprived and somewhat dehydrated. Doc Roe confirmed to me, however, that despite all of that, she would make a full recovery.

During that time, I spent my days watching the Germans officially surrender. I also took that time to decide on my path after we were allowed to leave Europe - would I go home or would I stay with the military and head to Japan? I weighed my options carefully.

Thinking back to what life was like before the war, I couldn't remember much on the skills and jobs that I once had. All I could remember was who I was now - a soldier. It was what I was good at. I knew that if I stayed in the military, I'd have a job and steady income. It was better than going home with nothing waiting for me.

My thoughts drifted over to Nurse Banks. It had been clear to me for a while now, that we had a connection with one another. Was it enough for us to go home together when I had nothing to offer her? She deserved better than that. I thought about Webster. I knew that he came from a privileged lifestyle. He was the kind of person that she should end up with - not someone like me.

It pained me to think that this war had brought me close to what I believed to be true love and it killed me to think that I needed to let her go so she could be happy. I wanted to be selfish and stay with her, follow her wherever she wanted me to go but I knew that I couldn't. That wasn't me.

I found myself that afternoon signing the documents that would transfer me to Japan as soon as we got orders. I would have to find the right time to tell her the truth but now wasn't the time. I knew it would hurt her but I hoped that she'd forgive me. Maybe by doing this, I would free her to follow her heart and find someone that was perfect for her. I wasn't convinced that I was that person.

Another couple of days had gone by and I dressed in my dress uniform. Colonel Sink had asked that all officers report to his office, dressed up. I had a sinking suspicion that I knew what it was going to be about.

When I entered his office, I spotted Nixon and Winters off to the side. Sink glanced about the room of all the officers and announcing, "The Japanese have given their official surrender." He scanned the room of happy men. "War's over, boys. I'm damned proud of each and every one of you. Now...tell those men to go home. You all deserve it."

He saluted all of us, smile plastered on his worn and tired face, dismissing us. The men couldn't stop beaming at the news. We had waited years for this moment and it was finally here. We had one last order to fulfill and that was to update the men.

I approached the baseball diamond the men had constructed. They were in the middle of a game as I spotted Nurse Banks sitting on the hood of a Jeep, watching them play.

When I neared her, she turned her attention over to me. Her face still carried the bruises that Lerner gave to her. Her pale skin was marred with deep yellow bruises and small cuts in the corner of her eyes and lips. Despite all of that, she was still beautiful to me. She smiled warmly at me.

I leaned up against the Jeep and started to reach for her face. I stopped just before my fingers grazed her cheek. "Your bruises are healing quite nicely."

She smirked slightly. "Yeah, they're almost gone."

I could tell that she had something weighing on her mind. "How are you doing?" I asked her.

She held my gaze and kept that smile on her face. It warmed my heart to see that smile. She deserved to be happy. "For the first time in a really long time," she began. "I feel great. I owe you my life in more ways than I can count."

I studied her face. I wondered what was going on inside that head of hers.

Before I had a chance to really question her, Winters and Nixon approached us. Winters ordered, "Speirs, gather them around."

I pushed off the Jeep and took a couple of strides forward. I shouted over the men's baseball game, "Easy Company! School circle!"

The men rushed over, sitting or kneeling before us. Winters glanced over the men in the circle as he stated, "The Japanese have given their surrender. War's over."

The men's expressions remained stoic, almost as though they thought Winters was playing a joke on them. When Winters smiled at them, nodding that it was the truth, the men cheered and began to make their way back to their barracks.

Winters and Nixon took their leave as well but Miss Banks remained seated on the Jeep. I glanced over at her. She asked, "What are you going to do now that the war is over?"

I swallowed. This wasn't the conversation that I hoped to have with her so soon. I quickly stated, "Stay in the army."

She blinked at me. "You're not going to go home?"

I shook my head. "This is my life. It's what I'm good at," I explained.

I saw her bite her lip. I could see the disappointment wash over her face. I was unable to move from my place as I watched her hop off the Jeep and walk away from me.

The rest of the afternoon, I found myself waging war with my inner thoughts. On one hand, it was better that I stayed in the army - stayed away from her - but there was that nagging voice in my head telling me that I had to tell her how I felt. I couldn't bring myself to think that she thought I didn't care.

I felt that I couldn't confess my true feelings for her - not after all that she'd been through. She had a life to live now that she was free from the clutches of Lerner. She had the freedom to explore the world without having to look over her shoulder. The war was over and she was no longer in danger - she didn't need me anymore to save her.

That voice inside my head told me that I was being stubborn but I also felt that I was being selfish if I acted on my feelings towards her. I couldn't give her the life that she needed or wanted from me. I couldn't do that to her.

I watched as some of the planes filled with our men took off for England. I wondered if she had been on one of those planes. I wondered if I was too late to say goodbye. I began to wonder if she'd even want me to.

Despite my better judgment, I found myself marching towards her house. I didn't bother to knock on the door. I let myself in. The house was quiet but still warm like her. I could even smell that familiar scent of honeysuckles.

I heard the faint footsteps upstairs stop at the top of the stairs. There she stood, shocked to see me as she peered down the stairs at me. "What are you doing here?"

My heart raced as I held her stare. I climbed the stairs quickly. Once I reached the top of the stairs, I lost control of myself. I snaked my arms around her, crushing my lips against hers, holding her tightly against me for fear of her disappearing.

The moment she kissed me back, I needed her more than air in my lungs. I deepened our kiss, pushing her into the wall. I maneuvered my hands from her waist up to her neck to hold her where I wanted her.

I ached to have her closer still. I grabbed her, hoisting her up. She locked her legs around me as I kept her between me and the wall. I felt like a predator finally able to capture my prey - I had lost complete control of my senses. I knew that I should stop this before we got carried away but the logical part of me had left.

I carried her into the bedroom, carefully laying her down before joining her. I made sure to keep my full weight off of her so I didn't crush her. I wanted to savor this moment with her. I wanted her to experience a love that she hadn't had yet - a love that she might never have expected to exist.

Before I knew it, we were both undressed. The logical side of me had finally returned when I felt my lips on her breasts. I pulled away and asked, "Are you sure about this?"

I scanned her face, looking for an honest answer - a sign of hesitation. Her lips were red and puffy from our kisses. Her skin was flushed. I didn't think that she could become any more beautiful than she was at this moment.

She nodded. "I love you."

A small smile formed on my lips as my heart exploded. I kissed her again. "And I love you, Miss Banks," I whispered. "Emmeline..."

The plane on the airstrip waited for Miss Banks to board. I stood next to her as we stared at the plane. She didn't speak a word. I whispered, "I'm going to miss you."  
She glanced up at me. "Then come with me."

I shook my head. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't - not anymore. "It's too late for me," I said. "I'll find you though." Waves of emotions washed over her face. I leaned forward, whispering in her ear, "I love you, Emmeline...I'll come back to you."

She closed her eyes, soaking in my words. Tears rolled down her cheeks. I kissed her one last time, putting my heart and soul into that final kiss, knowing that it would most likely be the last time. I watched as she climbed into the plane.

I stood there watching as the plane lifted from the airstrip, carrying the one good thing in my life further away from me. I wasn't one to regret much in my life but at this moment, I realized that I had just committed the biggest betrayal and regret ever.

My heart ached as the plane disappeared through the clouds above. I remained where I stood, hoping for one last glimpse of her plane. It never emerged from the clouds.

I went back to my housing and gathered my things. Even though I had double checked everything to make sure that I hadn't forgotten anything, a part of me continued to feel as though I had. I knew that it was my mind's way of telling me that I had 'forgotten' Emmeline.

I continued to tell myself that maybe this was for the best. I knew from Colonel Sink's reports that she'd be headed back to England and would remain there until all the wounded were able to transfer back to the states. That meant that she'd still be in the army for a year or two at most. I hoped that I'd see her again when I returned to England myself.

Only time would tell.


	22. Time After Time

One Year Later

I stared at my reflection as I finished tying up my tie. I wasn't convinced that I wanted to go through with this. A couple of old high school friends had asked me to join them for one of their dinners. At first, I didn't have a problem agreeing, until they told me that they wanted me to meet someone.

I had no interest in meeting anyone. To be honest, I hadn't forgotten Emmeline. No woman compared to her. It wasn't fair of me to go out with other women when I continued to hold them to the standard of her.

I sighed, turning from the mirror. I left my house and headed to the car. I knew that I'd never hear the end of it if I didn't at least go and say hello. Adjusting back to normal life was harder than I thought it was going to be.

The drive to my friend's house didn't take long and I found myself knocking on their door. I could hear the muffled sounds of conversation and laughter on the other side of the door. When the door opened, I was greeted by my friend and his pregnant wife.

"There you are!" the wife shouted gleefully. "We were thinking you weren't coming!"

"Wouldn't dream of it," I replied with a smile. I couldn't bring myself to let them down.

They motioned for me to enter and the wife left us to ourselves. My friend turned to me. "How are you doing, Ron?"

"Fine, Jerry," I replied.

He smirked. "How many times did you consider canceling?"

"More than I'd care to admit," I confessed.

He laughed, smacking my back. "You'll like her, I promise."

I gritted my teeth. When I had returned home, the first thing I had been informed of was Jerry's wife's pregnancy. After that, I was hounded about when I thought I'd settle down with someone. A few drinks later, I had been told that they had the perfect woman for me. I wanted to roll my eyes.

Jerry's wife walked around the corner, arm-in-arm with a slender blonde. I studied her briefly. She certainly was an attractive woman but she wasn't Emmeline.

"Give her a chance," Jerry muttered under his breath at me. When I glanced at him sideways, he gave me that look - the one that told me that he knew I'd say she wasn't for me.

His wife began the introductions, "Ron? This is Mary. Mary, Ron."

I smiled politely with Mary. "How do you do?"

Her smile widened as she held my gaze. "I have heard so much about you." I nodded curtly, unsure how much I believed her. She asked, "When did you return home?"

Her eyes glimmered in the light, showcasing the pale blue color brilliantly, combined with her blonde hair, it created that typical beauty - the kind that I had found myself bored with.

I inhaled sharply. "About three months ago."

"Even though the war ended so long ago?" she asked, seemingly stunned. "Why so long?"

"Just because the war ends, doesn't mean that all the responsibilities go away," I explained.

Jerry chimed in, "He was an officer, Mary. He wouldn't be able to leave until all of the duties of someone of his rank had been completed."

She turned her attention back to me. The smile that appeared on her lips told me that she thought she had struck gold being paired with me - an officer in the military. I realized at that moment that she was looking for easy money - a gold digger.

I continued to make idle small talk with Mary but I found myself growing annoyed. I excused myself from our conversation and stepped outside for a moment. I needed some fresh air. I needed to gather my thoughts.

Within a few minutes of being alone on the front porch, the door opened and Mary stepped outside to join me. "Beautiful night, isn't it?" she asked, leaning against the railing.

I nodded once, trying to keep my composure.

She asked, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," I said.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "It's okay if you're not, you know?" she began. "My brother was the same way when he returned home."

I turned my head to look at her. "Where did he serve?"

"Armored," she stated. "Wounded severely and unable to talk much about those days." Another pause fell upon us before she cleared her throat. "Jerry told me that there was someone special in your life over there..." I turned my gaze away from her as she continued, "Did you ever find her again?"

I clenched the railing before me tightly. I didn't want to talk about this - least of all with Mary. "No."

"Never?" she gasped. "Not even in England? But I thought-"

"What does it matter to you?" I spat, standing up straight. I released my hold on the railing as I turned to face her. "What are you hoping for here?"

She blinked at me, clearly unaffected by my sudden abrasiveness. "You don't scare me," she said quietly. "Your friends are concerned for you. If I were you, I'd forget about your past and move forward with someone that is standing in front of you."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Not interested."

"I'm not looking to replace her," she said gently. "I know that I'll never be able to replace that kind of love...but... if you haven't heard from her since your return, maybe you shouldn't hold a candle for someone who clearly didn't feel the same way about you as you did for her."

For a moment, what she said made sense to me. Emmeline hadn't reached out to me - didn't contact me since the end of the war. I began to wonder if she had forgotten about me after all.

Mary cautiously approached me, placing her hand gently on my arm. "All I'm asking for is a chance for you to see that the world isn't going to wait for you to decide when to begin living again," she cooed. "I'd like to help you move forward."

I glanced over at her. Despite what my heart was telling me, I nodded briefly. It made perfect sense. "Okay," I agreed with a sigh. "Would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?"

Another year slowly rolled by and I was still with Mary. She meant a lot to me but I was still hesitant to push our relationship into the next natural stage of progression. Mary continued to tell me that she would wait as long as it took but I could see the frustrations growing behind her eyes.

Mary and I often fought about my inability to let the past go. She continued to remind me that if Emmeline truly cared for me, she would have reached out long ago. Even though that truth carried a heaviness to it, I refused to believe it. I couldn't just let that part of my past go so easily because it meant that much to me. It was as though Mary was asking me to leave behind my arm.

I knew that it didn't help matters any when Nurse Sanderson continued to write to me. Mary had gotten a hold of some of those letters. Fights ensued regarding the constant reminder of days passed. Despite telling Mary that Darla was simply a concerned friend, Mary refused to listen. I never replied to the letters and eventually, they stopped coming.

One afternoon as Mary headed to town with some of her friends, I stepped outside to sit on the front porch. The little avenue that we lived on was a quiet one, filled with couples in all stages of life.

The houses across the street had newlyweds, families with children, and even some whose kids were out of the house. Living next door to us on one side was an elderly couple who had been there since the house was built and on the other, was a lovely widow who always smiled and waved whenever she busied herself in the garden.

I would find myself watching the little widow as she worked. There was something familiar about the way she moved, the way she spoke to the plants as she worked. She moved with a grace and a purpose that I had seen before once, a long time ago. It finally dawned on me that particular morning that I had seen that in Emmeline.

I lost myself in time as I observed the woman next door. When I heard someone clear their throat nearby, it snapped me out of my daze. I glanced over at the steps leading up to the porch and found myself staring into the familiar blue eyes of Darla.

I blinked at her as I began to stand up from my chair to approach her. "Miss Sanderson-"

"Darla," she scoffed, waving the formalities aside. "Please."

I stood before her, staring into her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

She smiled up at me. "Is that any way to greet an old friend?" she teased.

I smirked, bending down to offer a small hug. She seemed surprised the moment that I did it because she knew that I wasn't that kind of person. When I pulled away from her, I asked, "Would you like to come inside?"

Her eyes sparkled as she nodded. "That would be lovely, thank you."

I lead her into the kitchen to the table. "Would you like something to drink?" She nodded and I filled a glass up with water. She took it from me as I extended it towards her.

She sipped it briefly. "Thank you."

I sat across from her. "So...what are you doing here?"

She blinked at me. "I could ask you the same thing." When I titled my head at her in confusion, she asked, "Why didn't you ever reply to any of my letters?"

"I didn't see a need," I told her simply.

She pursed her lips to the side, giving me a doubtful glance. "Did you read any of them?" I nodded and she continued, "Then you should know why I'm here."

I furrowed my brow. "I must not have read them the way you intended them to be read then, I'm afraid."

She sighed heavily. "I wrote about Emmeline-"

"I know," I cut her off. "She sounds like she's doing well."

Darla laughed, almost shocked to hear my words. "My God! I swear the two of you are certainly made for one another!"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "What are you talking about?"

"You're both so stubborn!" she chortled. "Neither one of you wants to admit that you're head over heels in love with the other! Neither one of you wants to be the one to admit it first!"

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. As I glared at her, I asked, "What are you talking about? It's been a couple of years-"

"Exactly," she stated. "Which is why I'm here."

"She could have reached out-"

"You could have as well."

"According to your letters, she's moved on," I rebutted.

She shook her head. "She's still in love with you."

"You said she was working at a hospital somewhere," I recalled.

She nodded, taking another sip of water. "Denver, Colorado," she admitted. "And she's miserable there."

I furrowed my brow. "What aren't you telling me?"

She inhaled deeply. "There's a lot that you don't know," she replied quietly. I waited for her to continue. She took a moment to think before saying, "There's a lot that I need to tell you... a lot that's happened since the last time you saw her."

"I'm listening," I stated.

Darla began to tell me all about what she had learned regarding Emmeline's past at that wayward home. She shared with me the most intimate and detailed descriptions of the horrors Emmeline faced - how she lost her parents which landed her in the wayward home to begin with, how she was abused, how she escaped - and how she ended up in the military.

She explained to me how Emmeline evolved into the person that she became by the end of the war - the differences even Darla noticed the moment they were reunited. She believed that I had a lot to do behind that shift and growth.

She told me how Emmeline would write to her about everything that took place during the war, everything she saw, everything she heard, and those she lost on the lines. She even talked about me in those letters. Darla confessed that Emmeline seemed torn between Webster and me but quickly learned that Webster would never become anything more than a friend. She had fallen too much in love with me, though she'd never admit it.

Darla continued to tell me story after story of the letters she had received and the panic that rose with each one as soon as Emmeline learned that the Lerners were around. Darla even admitted how hard it was not telling Emmeline that I was working behind the scenes to make sure that she was protected from harm. I realized at that moment that Darla had placed her utmost faith and trust in me during those times.

After detailing the facts behind Emmeline's growth and communications back and forth during the war, she began to explain what took place when Emmeline returned to England.

After a year of working in England to finish up the efforts there, the two of them took the time to visit with Sarah and Charlotte's families. She told me about how Emmeline nearly took on a man twice her size because he didn't seem to care about the loss of Sarah like she believed he should have. I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. My meek mouse kept her backbone.

Darla explained that even after visiting with both of those families, they took a trip to Montana to visit that wayward home for closure. She told me all about the state of the house, how Emmeline warned her of the hidden graves that lined the pastures, and even the police officer who found them on site who carried the childhood portrait of Emmeline all these years. She cried as she explained all of the details Emmeline confessed to while they watched the destruction of the house. Darla told me that once the house was gone, Emmeline's spirits lifted as though she had finally become free of all of those demons.

Her last story to me was about a man named Thomas. She told me that according to Emmeline, I had seen Thomas moments before he died. I couldn't remember him even if my life depended on it. She explained what happened on D-Day to Thomas and what Emmeline did for him before his passing. She told me about Emmeline's desire to personally find his family to give them his dog tags and explain in person what became of Thomas.

That story had segued into how Emmeline was offered a job - the first job offer to have come her way since the war ended - and she took it. She didn't want to stay in Denver but since she had no other options, she did. Darla stated that Emmeline didn't like Thomas's brother, Jack but felt that she had no other choice.

"What's wrong with this Jack?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.

She shrugged. "She thinks that he might be interested in something more with her," Darla explained. "And he doesn't seem to take no for an answer when it comes from..."

"From?" I pushed.

"A woman," Darla replied. She cleared her throat to hide her discomfort. She sighed and continued, "She's miserable in that job, Ron. I am worried that she won't be able to keep from making a mistake with Jack."

"She stood up to a man twice her size," I reminded her. "I think she'll be fine to say no to Jack."  
"I don't think so," Darla explained. "Because of Thomas."

I scoffed. "For God's sake..."

She nodded grimly. "She thinks that you've forgotten about her," she blurted out. "She said that you told her that you'd come to find her... and you haven't."

I felt my body flinch from those words. The memory of that day came rushing back to me as though I had fallen into a raging river. I had forgotten that I had said that to her. I felt guilt wash over me.

"What am I supposed to do?" I asked.

"I was hoping that you'd come with me to Denver," she confessed. "Talk some sense into Emmeline and admit your feelings before it's too late."

I gave her a skeptical look. I wasn't convinced. I felt as though Emmeline had moved on with this man. It was too late for me. She deserved to be happy and if that meant being with a doctor, then that's what it took.

Darla must have seen what was going on in my head because she stated, "If you don't do this, you're a fool."

"Excuse me?" I asked, shocked by her choice of words.

"You heard me," she spat. "You are a fool, Ron - an absolute idiot if you stand back and watch her move forward with someone else!"

My mouth fell open as I stared at her. "I can't believe you called me a fool."

"And an idiot," she reminded me.

I smirked at her bravery. "You do recall that men were afraid of me-"

She waved the remark aside. "I'm not afraid of you," she told me. "Do you realize that she was the happiest when she was behind enemy lines with you? Her whole life - and she was happier being around you than any other time." She held my gaze and added, "I think the same is true for you."

The front door opened and closed. Footsteps entered the kitchen and Mary froze, glancing between the two of us. "Hello," she said almost confused. "I didn't realize we had a guest."

I swallowed, knowing how this was going to play out. "Mary, this is Darla. Darla, Mary."

Darla stood up and offered her hand to Mary. There was a warm smile on Darla's face, even though she could feel the growing tension and ire building. "How do you do?"

Mary's lips started to form a sneer. She simply nodded, refusing to shake Darla's hand. "Charmed, I'm sure," she muttered. She turned to face me. "I'd like a word with you."

I shook my head. "Sorry but I'm in the middle of something important here."

Mary's jaw fell agape. "Excuse me?"

I stood up from the table and glared at her. "I'm sorry, Mary. I am," I started. "But you and I both know that we just aren't meant to be."

Mary turned her gaze to Darla. "What did you say to him?"

"This has nothing to do with her," I said, pointing to Darla. "This is about you and me. It's always been about us...and how we're just not for one another."

Mary scoffed in disbelief. "So, that's it then? A whole year wasted because you couldn't let go of your past?"

Darla started to make her way towards the door. I motioned for her to wait. "I'm sorry, Mary, I am. You're going to make someone very happy," I told her. "We tried our best but it just wasn't meant to be."

I started for the door with Darla. I grabbed my jacket and opened the door. Mary called out behind me, "Where are you going?"

"To save someone close to me," I told her simply. I slammed the door behind us.

Once we arrived in Colorado, Darla drove us to the hospital that Emmeline was employed with. Darla parked and said, "When you get inside, ask for Doctor Palmer. Emmeline will be with him." I furrowed my brow and she added, "He seems to want her with him at all times."

I gritted my teeth, willing myself not to break the man's nose when I saw him. I climbed out and Darla called out to me, "Good luck!"

I waved to her as she drove away from the building. I headed inside, determined to correct my past mistakes while I could. I hoped that Emmeline would be willing to take me back after all this time.

Upon entering the hospital, I followed Darla's instructions. I was informed that Dr. Palmer would be going on his break soon and I could find him at the cafe upstairs that overlooked the park. I nodded and made my way up.

I turned the corner that led into the cafe. I scanned the room and spotted a familiar frame sitting with her back towards me at a table with a man in a white coat. Instantly, I knew that it was her. I began to make my way over to her. I could hear their conversation growing as I neared.

"What about us?" she asked. Hearing her voice again made my heart burst into a fit. It pounded so hard, I heard it in my ears.

"Is there an us?" the man in the white coat asked, staring at her like a wolf to a rabbit.

I couldn't contain myself any longer. I refused to have her answer him and be disappointed if she accepted him. I said, "Miss Banks."

I watched as her body tensed for a moment, almost instinctively going into the position of attention. I suppressed a smile. She glanced over her left shoulder, slowly raising her dark eyes to meet mine. I could see her lip being released from the hold that she had it under. It brought a chuckle to my throat.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" the man in the white coat asked, standing up from the table.

Emmeline's eyes shot back to that man as he stepped before me, clearly sizing me up. He wouldn't have stood a chance if he tried something but he didn't seem to think so - that was apparent on his expression.

She slowly stood up from the table and cleared her throat. "Dr. Palmer, this is Lieutenant Speirs... we served together."

I could tell she was nervous because she had forgotten my rank when she last saw me. Our last day together, I was a Captain. I decided not to nitpick her words but when I saw Palmer's face smirk, I decided to set the record straight just to wipe that smirk off his face.

"Lieutenant, eh?" Palmer asked, mockingly.

I held his stare. "Actually, it's Lieutenant Colonel now," I corrected. I refused to back down.

Palmer's smirk disappeared as he asked, "So, you served together in the war?"

I nodded curtly. I realized that he didn't listen to a word she had said because she already explained that we had. I replied, "We did."

"Tell me," he began, quickly glancing back to her. "What was she really like back then? She won't tell me much."

I spotted a look of confusion wash over her face as she looked at Palmer. I realized that she had spoken to him about the war but as I witnessed moments before, he simply didn't listen to her. Darla was right about his inability or desire to listen to a woman.

Keeping my eyes locked on her, I stated, "She's the greatest mystery I have ever had the privilege of knowing."

Emmeline's eyes darted back to hold mine. They softened and filled with tears at hearing my comment.

"Mystery?" Palmer repeated, eyebrows knitted together in confusion. His beady eyes bounced between the two of us.

I held her stare as I continued, "I watched her start out as a meek mouse that hid from danger, from people who would do her harm and I watched her become a strong-willed, stubborn woman who learned to fight back." I didn't blink as I watched her eyes continue to fill with tears as she stared back at me. I continued, "I am one of the few people who were lucky enough to see through the cracks of her walls and still find beauty...and still know that there's more to her than what is on the surface." I hoped that that line would hit a nerve with Palmer. I finished by saying, "I've known her for years, watched for even more, and I still don't fully know her. That's what it means to be someone's mystery."

I watched as Emmeline took in my words, letting them sink into her very being. She blinked back the tears.

Palmer continued to glance between us as his eyes narrowed into slits. "I guess this means that there is no us," he remarked. I raised an eyebrow at the man.

Emmeline finally spoke again, "There was never an 'us', Jack. You gave me a job, which I'm grateful for but that's all this was."

I could see Palmer's rage and ire boil up onto his expression, solidifying Darla's concerns. He growled, "We'll talk about this later."

I stepped forward and stated, "There won't be a need for a talk later. She's not coming back to work here."

Emmeline placed a hand on her hip, turning her eyes to me. "Oh, I'm not, am I?"

I shook my head, holding her amused gaze. "No. In fact," I began. "I have a job for you already."

"You do?" she asked, letting her arm fall to her side. "Where?"

"Georgia," I explained. "Darla found you something closer to her. I'm just here to bring you home."

She swallowed nervously. "That's it?" she asked. "I'm just supposed to go with you?"

"You're supposed to follow orders, Miss Banks," I reminded her, a smile on my face.

She smirked. "I suppose you do outrank me by a lot now...sir."

I suppressed the urge to smile as I turned my eyes back to Palmer. I glared at the man and said, "It was nice meeting you, Doc. Thanks for taking care of her while she was under your employ. Good day."  
With that said, I grabbed her hand and led her out of that hospital. She never glanced over her shoulder to look at Palmer again. As we exited the hospital, I asked, "Where's your home?"

She waved me over to her car and we piled inside. She drove through the streets, stopping before an apartment complex. I could see from the state of the building that it wasn't a great place to live but compared to the places we stayed in during the war, this was a mansion.

She led me inside her quaint apartment. I scanned the small place and noticed that she didn't have much in the way of belongings. "You don't own much, do you?" I pointed out.

She shook her head. "Never have," she admitted. She watched me as I stood by the door waiting for her to grab her things. She asked, "Why did you come?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Why are you here?" she questioned. "Why now? I mean, it's been over two years...almost three since we last saw each other...so...why now?"

"Darla had left me several messages," I told her. I purposefully left out the bit where she had tracked me down and practically begged me to do this.

"Darla?" she repeated, almost stunned. "Why?"

"She's concerned that you'd make a mistake with that...Jack...guy," I informed her.

"Oh..." she muttered, somewhat disappointed that I didn't come on my own.

I added, "And she told me that I'd be a fool for not following you and making sure that you and I were together in the end."

She didn't blink. "And you told her...?"

I took a couple of steps towards her. "I told her that if you were happy, I'd stay away," I explained. "But she told me that you weren't...that you've never been happy in your life until I came into it." I stood before her, holding her gaze with an intensity of my own. "She explained that you were the happiest you have ever been in your life just being around me...and she said the same was true for me."

A small smile began to form on her lips. "She called you a fool?"

I nodded, chuckling as I admitted, "Yes. Kept telling me how I'm an idiot for staying away these past few years."

She took a surprised step backward. "You mean she actually called you an idiot and you let her?"

"She spoke the truth," I said with a shrug.

Emmeline's eyes widened at the admittance. "What?"

"I've been a fool, Emmeline," I began. "I never should have said goodbye to you that day. I should have stayed with you in England until you were cleared to go home. I should have been the one by your side in Montana...I really am a fool for letting you go."

She swallowed nervously. "You're here now, aren't you?"

I nodded. "I'm here now."

I grabbed her waist and crashed my lips onto hers. I could feel her melting in my arms as I kissed her, unloading years of emotions onto her. I pulled away from her briefly. I whispered, "Will you forgive me?"

She smiled up at me, almost drunk from the kiss. "There's nothing to forgive...Ron..."

I smiled a true smile for the first time in years. I kissed her again, consuming her lips as though I had to for my own life. When I finally pulled away from her again, I asked, "So, are you ready for the rest of your life, Miss Banks?"

She laughed genuinely. "As long as you never call me that again, I'm all yours!'

I gave her a quick kiss. "Emmeline..."

"Ronald," she breathed.

That autumn, Emmeline and I married by a quiet little pond in Georgia. Darla requested to take care of the details for us, including compiling our guest list of our old wartime friends. It was good to see many familiar faces gather for us.

It wasn't much longer after our wedding that we began our family. Emmeline had shared the news to me that she was expecting our first child after a particularly rough day. All of my frustrations had washed away from me and I cried tears of joy with her.

Six months later, I woke up with an unsettled feeling looming over my head. I couldn't shake it. I tried to hide it as best as I could from Emmeline, but there was just something about this day that bothered me. I pushed the curtains aside and peered out of our front window.

Across the street, sitting in a parked car was a familiar face glaring at the house. I furrowed my brow as my brain kicked into gear trying to place why the man was so familiar to me. It didn't take me long when the man climbed out of the car. It was Jack Palmer.

I turned and approached my safe in the closet. I began turning the knob to unlock it and once the combination was set, I opened it. I withdrew my pistol from inside, loading it before heading back to the door.

Jack pounded on the front door, shouting, "I know you're in there! Open the door, bitch! We need to talk!"

I gritted my teeth as I threw the door open, gun aimed in the man's face. His hands flew up defensively as he took a staggering step backward, falling one step off the porch.

I growled at him, "Never speak to my wife like that again! If I ever see you around here again, I will give you a new place to put your handkerchief! Do I make myself clear?"

"You're crazy!" Palmer spat at me, taking another step off the stairs.

I took another step forward. "Do I make myself clear? Or should I drag your sorry ass inside and follow through with my promise?"

Jack's face paled as he looked me square in the eye, then to the loaded pistol. "Fuck this," he muttered. "You can fucking have her!"

I stood there watching him run back to his parked car. He fell inside the driver seat and pulled out as quickly as he could. He never stopped to look back at the house.

I lowered the pistol, glancing at the neighbors who had stepped outside when they heard the commotion. I forced a smile, waving at them before turning and heading back inside.

I closed the door and spotted Emmeline standing in the hallway by the closet door. Her eyes were wide as she stared at me, hands rubbing her bump protectively.

I held her eyes, almost fearful that she would be disappointed in how I handled the situation. I approached her, placing the pistol back into the safe. I closed and locked it up, shutting the door to the closet.

She wrapped her arms around me, embracing me tightly. "I love you."

I lowered my nose into her hair, breathing in the comforting smell of honeysuckles. "I love you too," I whispered. "He won't come back for you."

She pulled away and asked, "And if he does? I mean, what about if I travel?"

"Use a different name," I replied simply. "Don't live in fear of him like you did the Lerners."

She smiled up at me. "I'd never do that again."

"Good," I said, kissing her forehead. "Now, I have something to show you." I took her hand in mine and led her to the backyard.

Outside, I showed her the place that I had put together in the garden. There in the back corner of our yard sat a large garden swing, a small outdoor cradle for our baby, surrounded by beautiful plants and blossoming trees. She smiled as she explored that little oasis.

"Are these honeysuckles?" she asked, inhaling the scent from the small blooms.

I nodded. "They remind me of you."

She turned to me, smile beaming as brightly as the sun. She crossed the yard back to me, wrapping her arms around me again. "I love it," she whispered. "I love you, Ron."

We kissed again. I whispered, "And I, you. Forever until the end of time."


End file.
